The Quiet Boyfriend
by F86
Summary: Olivia dates a man outside her normal circle.
1. Chapter 1

The Quiet Boyfriend

Previously, several weeks ago

Olivia had noticed a quiet civilian drinking beer and eating dinner alone in a bar frequented by herself and other law enforcement and prosecution personnel. The cops in particular made fun of him talking about gruesome cases and calling over to him "Hey banker, what do you think of that?" and similar things. The man shrugged them off and paid little attention to them beyond exchanging basic courtesies. Olivia began to see him as a victim of her fellow officers who seemed to resent the presence of a civilian in what they viewed as their watering hole.

One night Olivia slides herself into the opposite side of the booth he's using. "Hello. I'd ask if you come here often, but I already know you do." She says with a smile. "Don't let those guys bother you." The man glances to the bar. "They don't." He responds with a chuckle. "Eaten yet? Can I buy you dinner?" He asks. "Why would you want to?" She asks. "Because the alternative is unthinkable" comes the reply with a warm smile

Thus began a relationship experiment on Olivia's part to get out of her normal circle of type "A" personality men.

Previously, but more recent

Olivia headed out of the squad room to meet her boyfriend for dinner after chatting for awhile with her squad mates. She was over an hour late, but she did not rush for she knew he would wait patiently for her and not complain. Unlike most of her previous male friends and lovers, he was not in law enforcement. She had wanted a change, to find someone outside of her normal cops and prosecutors in hopes of finding a more long lasting relationship. But now she often thought that she would prefer it if he were more demanding and less tolerant like her previous boyfriends had been. Stability can become boring. Yet there was something mysterious about his calmness that was intriguing. The man could sit and watch anything, pedestrians, ships on the river, or nothing at all just alone with his thoughts. Yet those thoughts he a riddle he never expressed. But it was hard to respect a man who would let her get away with being so late. In her heart she knew that her experiment to date outside her normal circle was likely a failure, and she wondered how and when she would end it, but it would not be tonight. She didn't want to hurt him and had not yet thought of how to exit gracefully.

Arriving at the restaurant, Olivia spotted Adam at a table sipping a beer and waiting as patiently just as she had pictured. Joining him, she doesn't bother to apologize. Instead he asked how her day went. Olivia explained her day in general terms. She could not discuss the details of an active case and she didn't want him to feel his life wasn't as exciting as hers. There was also a nagging unease in that he never seemed shocked by the things she did tell him about the closed cases. He was always so attentive to her so it seemed unlikely that he was that cold hearted; perhaps he had led a sheltered life and lacked imagination or empathy.

The odd thing was that she still didn't know anything substantial about him, not even what he did for a living. Whatever it was, his schedule was flexible because he was always available whenever and wherever she wanted him to be and he never seemed to be in a rush, and it must be lucrative since he was never anxious about money. There was an easy way about him. He never seemed to be out of place or awkward anyplace from a hotdog stand to the opera. Perhaps that sheltered life left him unaware, but he never seemed concerned about the dangers of city life. He didn't seem evasive, but she knew if anybody asked her, she could not answer questions about his past or life outside of his relationship with her. It wasn't that there was no past, it was more like there was too much but it was all nonspecific. It's hard to tell where something comes from when it seems to come from everywhere.

She suddenly came to the realization that he always subtly turned the conversations back to her. Tonight she resolved would be different. Before she took him home for another night of comfortable gentle sex she was going to learn one solid fact. Since she felt the relationship was sliding toward a breakup anyway, she might as well use her detective skills to find out something.

"So Adam, enough about me, how was your day?"

"It was all right. I had a few things to wrap up, but I got a chance to get in some exercise."

"What did you wrap up?"

"Nothing as exciting as what you do." Adam says but Olivia doesn't respond, she just leaves a silence enticing him to fill it in. Normally, this tactic worked, but it took a long time for him to continue. "I just altered some of the investments in light of changes in the market." Adam eventually explains without detail.

"So you are a broker?" Olivia asks.

"No, I just deal with some. I just manage some trusts."

As their meal progresses, Olivia learned very little and the situation has lost some more of the charm it previously had, which wasn't much.

One thing Olivia had to grant was that the man knew his wines although he personally preferred beer. She was shocked when it became clear that the restaurant had a supply of wine put aside just for him. After the main meal they were invited to a private wine tasting downstairs in what had once been a secret room during prohibition. Olivia was feeling a bit swept off her feet as they were guided to a rather dingy basement and a wire was inserted into a barely visible hole which released a latch on a secret panel that lead to a small but well furnished room. A selection of rare vintages and cheeses were offered to Olivia. When Olivia was unsure, Adam ordered for her. His tastes were excellent. When they were finished Adam guided her out of the basement via a tunnel that connected to another building and then exited to a street on the opposite side of the block.

When they reached the sidewalk, Olivia realized there had been no bill and asked "Shouldn't we pay? Did we just dine and dash?"

Adam shook his head. "No reason to, I own the place, or rather a trust I manage does." He explained with a sly smile. "Shall I walk you to your place Olivia?"

Olivia seized the opportunity to learn something else about him. "No, I think tonight we go to your place." Adam reluctantly agreed.

Adam took Olivia to an older apartment building with a doorman. The doorman saw Adam and immediately opened the door and Adam patted him on the shoulder as they passed through the door. "Good to have you back sir." The doorman said and Adam responded "Good to be back, Jimmy."

They took the elevator to an upper floor and Adam guided Olivia toward his apartment. "So you have been away?" Puzzled Olivia asked.

"I travel a lot." Adam responded as he opened the door and turned on the lights.

Olivia wasn't impressed with his apartment. It was smaller than hers, but it did have an excellent view of the city. The furnishings were sparse. Clearly this was the apartment of a single man with no touches that would attract females. Intriguingly there were some items on display and quite a few books. Upon closer inspection, Olivia saw that the books and items were all old and some were ancient. Adam watched Olivia explored the apartment with some amusement but also some uneasiness. Olivia processed the place like she was investigating a crime scene. She spotted a pile of music CD's near a stereo and was surprised to see that, unlike his other possessions, the music was pretty contemporary although pre-autotune.

As Olivia circled the apartment, she was surprised to notice that there was a sofa with a coffee table and a desk with a chair, but no television, computer, or easy chairs for socialization. The kitchen area was well stocked. She noted that he must like to cook. The apartment was a place to store some personal items and spend some time reading, cook and sleep, but nothing more. It was not intended as a place to gather with friends. She began to suspect that, as friendly as he was with everyone, he had no actual friends. This thought was a bit frightening in what it could mean and she touched her gun for comfort. As she examined the room, Adam removed the long coat he always wore and placed it in the bedroom.

As Olivia completed her circuit of the room, Adam approached gently from behind. "If the detective has completed her investigation of the scene, perhaps it is time for the medical examiner to investigate the body." He purred. Olivia felt him start the zipper on her dress on a very slow journey down her back. She both loved and hated this maneuver. Adam could take five to ten minutes just to get it to the base of her spine and the leisurely but inexorable pace was both exciting and frustrating. Also, since she would be facing away, she must be passive during this process once it began.

Olivia anticipated the next phase, the slow methodical removal her cloths which would take at least as long. Adam enjoyed playing with her and sliding his hands under her clothing. She enjoyed it too, but still he seemed to take far too long and she would be frustrated before the next phase began which involved a gentle thorough massage starting at the base of her neck and traveling slowly down her spine driving the tensions of the day downward until her nerves screamed for release at her tailbone and then she seemed to just relax with her day forgotten. She now understands why some cats raise their rumps when petted. It was only then that he allowed her to face him that she could become active.

She enjoyed it, but it never seemed to change. So she was shocked when Adam unclasped her bra, opened the top of her unzipped dress, and slid his hands swiftly down her body catching her bra straps and then the sides of her panties on the way and suddenly she is naked from the ankles up standing among the wreckage of her clothing. It happened so suddenly that she felt very self conscious and very shy. It was also chilly in the apartment, a fact which did not concern Adam. Adam cradled her in his arms and started to carry her toward the bedroom and she welcomed the warmth of being held. Olivia was panicked that her favorite dresses was caught on her ankle holster and might be stepped on or ripped trailing behind them. She wiggled her feet until her clothes and shoes fell free. Then she noticed that Adam had a problem of his own. They wouldn't fit through the door even if he turned sideways. To her shock, Adam tossed her up and over his shoulder and carried none too gently her feet first with his shoulder below her belly button, bottom up, and naked except for her holster still strapped comically to her right ankle through the door as if she were a prize taken by a barbarian who had sacked her city. Arriving at the bed he flipped her down and she bounced up actually getting airborne for a second before Adam pinned her to the bed. "Thought you might be getting bored." he breathed in her ear before removing her weapon.


	2. Chapter 2

Present

The next morning she awakens alone in his bed. Looking around at the Spartan bedroom she finds a book he's been reading on Stonehenge and she hears him in the kitchen. She looks for what should be the trail of her clothing still on the floor from the previous night but her clothing is nowhere in sight. Then she notices even her ankle holster is missing. She considers what to do next. It is one thing to be nude in the throws of passion and quite another to wander about a strange place without a stitch on, so Olivia snuggles under the thick comforter.

It doesn't take long before Adam returns wearing a robe carrying a tray of breakfast foods. Presenting it to Olivia he says "Breakfast m'lady? I'd be happy if you stayed, but if you're going to work you'll need to get moving pretty soon."

"Where are my clothes?"

"Mmmm, that's for me to know any for you to figure out."

"Where is my piece?"

"Safe"

Olivia begins to eat her breakfast as Adam slips off his robe and gets under the covers. "Really, where is my stuff?" Olivia asks in between bites.

"It's where I put it…. Not necessarily inside the apartment…."

"Not funny. It's bad enough I've got to go to work in the same clothes I left in. I'll have Stabler asking questions all day."

"Should have thought about that last night before you decided to find one of the places I live."

"One…?"

"Yup"

"Is there a shower here?"

"Of course and after the shower you'll need to search high and low for your stuff… literally." Adam says with a devilish grin.

"Where did this side of you come from?"

"It has always been here. I could sense that you were becoming a bit bored and I aim to please you Olivia. You deserve to have someone excite you for a change even when that means teasing you for a little while. You also deserve to have someone pamper you most of the time and I'd already done that."

"It was nice." Olivia concedes.

When Olivia returns to the squad room wearing the same clothes she left in she can feel the eyes of her fellow cops watching her as she hurries to the locker room to change. When she comes out, Stabler is waiting for her. Pointing her finger she says "Don't even start" Stabler grins.

As they head out to run down a lead Stabler mutters "I know the walk of shame" to himself but deliberately loud enough for Olivia to hear. Olivia glares at him. "I thought you were gonna dump the wimp."

"He's nice. I don't want to hurt him. Besides, there is… I don't know, a sense of mystery. Besides, he can be surprising."

"Yeah? Did he not cut the crust off of your sandwich?"

"Actually, while I was still asleep he hid all of my clothes and made me search for them without a stitch on, some of it was high and some of it was low."

Stabler starts giggling, "There may be hope for him yet."

"The son of a bitch turned off the heat; gave me pokies." Olivia says as even she starts to giggle a bit and Stabler starts to laugh. "My underwear was hanging on the doorknob… on the outside of the door." Stabler starts laughing so hard he has to wipe his eyes. "I met his neighbor when I was reaching around the door to get them."

Stabler turns his head sideways peeking and reaching around an invisible door and saying "Oh, hello Mr. Johnson, I'm Olivia."

"Stop it. I shouldn't have told you."

"I'm sorry. But it is funny and it's good to see somebody get you to feel like a kid again. I just didn't think it would be this guy."

"I can laugh now; this morning, I wanted to strangle him nonchalantly standing there in the only robe in the place while all I was being damp from the shower."

"Thanks for rushing that paperwork Doctor, Elliot and I owe you one." Olivia says already turning to leave.

"Olivia, I heard you're dating Adam Pierson." Melinda says and Olivia turns back.

"How did you hear that?

"Police officers, they gossip worse than old women. Let me give to a bit of unsolicited advice. Don't let him go."

"Do you know him?" Olivia asks.

"We lived together for awhile." Melinda says to Olivia's shock. "It was quite a long time ago." Melinda explains and Olivia is incredulous. "The massages are great aren't they?"

Olivia nods saying. "They are very relaxing. I fell asleep once. Do you know what his reaction was?"

"He was probably pleased."

"Yeah, but most men wouldn't be." Olivia observes.

"Most men would consider it foreplay, but for him it is an end in itself. He wants to relax you and ease your woes and stress. Olivia, don't ever ask him any questions about his past. He'll tell you very little and it will drive him away. He has his reasons for privacy. He loves rarely, but deeply. Just accept it."

"I'm sorry if I…." Olivia starts to say afraid that her relationship is painful to Melinda.

"It's okay, like I said it was a long time ago. When I met him, I was in a bad situation. When we went our separate ways I was ready to face the world on my own." Olivia starts to ask a question, but before she can utter a sound Melinda stops her. "I'm not answering any of your questions. I've already said all that I'm going to on the subject."

"Thanks." Olivia says and turns to leave.

"One other thing Olivia…. How have you been sleeping?"

"Okay. Better, I think."

"Dreaming?"

"Not like before. My dreams are … peaceful. Kind of strange…."

"You're riding a horse." Melinda speculates.

Shocked Olivia responds "Yes. It's odd since I grew up in the city. I have very little with me, but I know it is all that I need and I know that there is very little that can harm me. I'm calm and just wandering as my mood takes me with no particular place to be. How did you know?"

"They are the same dreams I had."

"How? What do they mean?"

"I suspect he whispers when he senses his lover is having a bad dream and gives the suggestion of a peaceful scene."

"There is one other thing that's not so peaceful."

"Did you have a sword?" Melinda says to Olivia's shock.

"Yes. You too?"

"I thought in your case it might be a gun since that is what you normally carry."

"What does it mean?"

"Protection, you are not defenseless. At least that was the conclusion I reached." Melinda chuckles. "I decided the obvious Freudian metaphor made no sense. You are traveling light, no baggage, but you have all that you really need. You can go wherever you wish and you are master of all that you see. Let go of your emotional baggage. Let yourself go where life takes you. It isn't fancy, but when you think about it, it is better than swimming with dolphins or anything 'New Age' like that."

"I see your point. It isn't a fantasy that I would have imagined that he would create though." Olivia says before leaving.

Standing alone getting ready for her next case Doctor Melinda Warner says to herself "Who said it was a fantasy Olivia." She smiles to herself thinking back to the beginning of her relationship with Adam, when he brought her out of slavery shortly before the start of the American Civil War and they made their way through a troubled land to Canada. But Melinda's knowledge of the man she knew as Nathan is only slightly deeper than Olivia's.


	3. Chapter 3

After her shift Olivia arrives at a training facility to put the required number of rounds down range. She is surprised to find Adam waiting for her. "What are you doing here?" she asks.

Adam shrugs "Can't I be here to encourage you to punch holes in paper?"

"Sure, but it can't be too exciting for you. I'm going to have to wait awhile. I try to get this out of the way early, but by this time in the month every procrastinator in the Department will be here. Why don't you go get something to eat?"

"I'll wait. Do you want me to heckle the other cops to get you closer to the top gun slot?"

"No. These guys…. Just, no." Olivia scolds much to Adam's amusement.

Once inside, Olivia and Adam watch other officers using the range. "Want something to drink?" Adam asks.

"That would be good. There is a coffee machine in the lobby."

"No coffee for you, it might make you jittery. I'll get you water." Adam says. Olivia starts to object, but nods yes.

Stabler has completed his shooting and is in an optional training session on defense from knife wielding suspects when Adam spots him. Hearing the class begin, Adam is curious and watches from the hallway door, drinking his coffee and holding Olivia's water bottle. Adam watches with some amusement as the instructor demonstrates various techniques he's learned in an "advanced" training class. When the instructor mentions that a knife can be thrown Adam suppresses a laugh. Noting Adam, he instructs Adam to come to the front of the class.

The instructor has made a serious blunder. After being instructed to menace the instructor with a practice rubber knife, Adam responds. "What you must know is that a knife at close range is a more terrifying weapon than your automatic. Yes, the round can do a lot of damage, but the knife bypasses the brain and speaks directly to the heart. You've seen what a round can do to ballistics jell in slow motion on film, but it is something the mind must process. It take's little imagination to know what a knife will do." Adam tosses the practice toy knife onto the table which contains several knives taken from suspects and selects a Bowie knife with a knuckle guard. "Train like you fight; fight like you train." Adam says as he picks it up in his right hand.

"That's for a lefty." The instructor says, trying to regain the upper hand in front of the class. The sharp side o the blade is on the opposite side than the knuckle guard, making it look backwards.

"No. It's for a right handed person that knows knives. Besides, the sharp edge of the blade would still be up." Adam says moving toward the instructor with a calm menace. "When held in the hand, the guard protects the knuckles and the sharp side of the blade is up. Because I'm either going to come in low and rip open your belly or come in from the side of the neck and tear out your throat. The damage will be made by pulling from the inside out." By now Adam is right up to the nervous instructor. "Feel the fear?" Adam asks with an ice cold grin. But he turns away from the instructor and demonstrates the two strikes he described on a dummy, ripping out stuffing from its belly and throat while simultaneously striking with his left hand to stabilize the dummy. The officers in the class are stunned at the speed and severity of the damage. It is brutally efficient. The more astute notice that both strikes were extremely precise and just clear of where the backbone would be allowing the soft flesh and organs in front to be lacerated.

"Whoever said a sword was a more elegant weapon from a more elegant age didn't understand the reality."

Adam returns the knife to the table, and starts to leave. "Oh, one other thing, no serious knife fighter is going to throw his knife. Would you throw your gun? Of course you wouldn't. You'd use it as a bludgeon if it wouldn't fire, but you would never throw it." With that, he picks up a knife and throws it at the dummy. His fingers halt the spin of the blade and it flies straight and true into the sternum of the dummy burying itself to the hilt.

Adam calmly picks up Olivia's water bottle and starts to leave. "Never believe what you see or hear in a fight. There are no rules."

"How would you defend yourself?" an officer from the class calls out. Adam pauses "Shoot him before he gets close or be better with a knife than he is." He answers without looking back as he walks out.

The following day Stabler is driving Olivia to their next interview and he says "I don't know who your boyfriend is, but he's somebody, probably not a SEAL, Green Beret, Marine Recon, Ranger, or Delta, but … somebody. They are secretive but you can still see the swagger. He stopped in the knife training class for a couple of minutes and there was a hell of a lot of discussion after he left… plus the Department needs a new practice dummy. Some of the new guys looked a bit green, but he scared the hell out of even some of the veterans, took me back to my Marine training. What was sobering was how violent yet coldly precise he was."

"Really?" Olivia asks.

"I'd bet money he's seen actual combat… hand to hand."

"I'm not seeing it."

"Olivia, perhaps the reason he seems so oblivious to dangers is that they aren't threats to him."

"Doctor Warner knows him. She said they used to live together. I'll ask her. I doubt she'll answer, but it is worth a try. She said if I ask him about his past, he won't answer and it will drive him away."

"I thought you wanted to let him go." Stabler asks.

"I did. Now I don't know. He's like a mystery. He's good to me. I just want… I don't know… I want him to be more demanding…"

"More like all those other guys that didn't work out?"

"Yeah, I guess." Olivia says troubled.

Olivia lies in bed with Adam massaging her upper back lost in thought. "Doctor Warner said you two used to live together."

"Doctor Warner?" Adam asks.

"Doctor Melinda Warner."

"She told you? Yes we did, but it was a long time ago."

"Why did you two split?"

"She didn't need me anymore."

"Are you two….?"

"We're good. I hear from her occasionally. Actually, she suggested that I meet you and she told me the bar you frequent. She thought perhaps I could help you….." Seeing Olivia's shock he continues. "She didn't tell you that part huh?"

"No she didn't... You were stalking me?" Olivia says annoyed.

Adam works his way down to the small of Olivia's back. "Don't be too annoyed. If I didn't like what I saw and heard about you, I would have just moved on."

"She set me up."

"No, she suggested that you were somebody that I should meet. I hung around in that bar full of cops until you got curious. If you recall, you made the first move... the only move."

"I got curious about this guy who obviously wasn't on the force sitting alone in the shadows every night. You were making some of the guys edgy."

Adam's massage reaches Olivia's tailbone and all of her concentrated tensions release in a shudder. It is her favorite part of the nightly massage. Olivia relaxes into the sheet as Adam continues down her body. Her tensions increase again as he works her buttocks and upper thighs. But she knows before she gets rolled over she'll have plenty of time to enjoy the foot massage.

Once Adam has moved beyond her more sensual areas, Olivia asks "Did you do this to Doctor Warner?"

"She didn't take to it right away like you did, but eventually something like this. That was between us though. Shhhhh just relax. Let the detective in you take a vacation."

Olivia enjoys her massage for awhile. As Adam works on her feet she asks "How did you meet Warner? She said she was in a bad situation."

"Shhhhhh." After a long pause Adam says "Yes, she was."

"Like me?"

"Much worse. But you needn't worry about it. Roll over."

Adam continues to work Olivia's feet, but from there he'll be working up the front her legs. "Are you going to leave me if you decide I don't need you?"

"I'm here until you decide you don't need me… or you get bored."

Olivia reacts to the last part. "Why…?"

"I'm probably not as exciting as most of your previous men. But think of me as a distance runner instead of a sprinter. Relax…"

"Where your hand is right now… relaxation isn't an option."

"So stop thinking and enjoy." Adam skips her pelvic area and moves to her stomach.

"Do you whisper to me in my sleep… to change my dreams?"

"Guilty as charged. You're full of questions tonight. Now shhhhhhhhhh." Adam puts a finger to Olivia's lips.

"Why that fantasy?"

"Because it works." Adam moves away from Olivia losing interest in massaging her since she has become more interested in asking questions than receiving the massage.

"But where does it come from?"

"I think I'd better go." Adam says as he gets up.

Olivia gives Adam a full body hug. "Please stay. It is just that I want to know more about you."

"No, you don't, you really don't."

"I do. Stabler thinks you were some sort of military operative. You can talk to me… unless it is something classified."

"Let's say that it is all classified and let it go at that."

"Have you killed people?" Olivia whispers.

"Let it go." He says slowly.

"I want to help you as you're helping me."

"You are. No more questions."

"It helps a victim to talk. It hurts at first, but it helps."

"I'm not a victim."

"If you were forced to do things…"

"It helps me to help you. I'm not going to discuss my past with you or anyone else. If you keep asking questions, I'll leave."

"Don't leave." Olivia wraps herself around Adam. A thought crosses her mind and she reverses positions with him and begins to perform the massage she normally receives.

Olivia and Adam stroll through a nice area of the city on a pleasant evening. Olivia is comfortable and relaxed. There is no sign of anything illegal going on to attract her attention, but she is ever vigilant. Suddenly she senses Adam grow tense and he guides her in a different direction. "What is it?" she asks.

"Call it intuition."

"If there is trouble, I should check on it."

"It isn't the sort of thing that you would need to be concerned with, I just get a feeling of dread sometimes and I've learned to trust the feeling; at least I've never had reason to regret avoiding areas that give me that reaction."

To Olivia's surprise, Adam guides her to the steps of a church where he stops and looks around carefully as if searching for a familiar face. After a moment he relaxes. "Are you okay?" she asks.

"I am now. The feeling has passed. But let's go a different way."

"Sure. Do you know what caused the panic attack? There was no danger I could see."

"You wouldn't, it isn't the sort of thing that you would recognize. Have you ever had a feeling about a place or a person that was just… The feeling that things were about to go wrong."

"Yeah, but in my job I can't let that stop me."

"But, you'd call for back up or change your approach, right?"

"If I could…"

Adam stops and grips Olivia's arm tightly. "Listen to me carefully, if I say we leave, we leave, no questions asked. All right?" He says with an unusual intensity.

"I can take care of myself."

"I have no doubt you can, but some things are best avoided."

"But…"

"No 'buts', if I say we avoid an area, we avoid it."

"If it makes you feel better."

"It does."


	4. Chapter 4

The next day in the squad room Olivia violates regulations and does some research on her boyfriend, Adam Pierson, using the databases available to the police. Stabler notices quickly ends he search. "You know that using our system for personal purposes is strictly prohibited." Before Olivia can protest he continues "What did you find out?"

Olivia responds "Until about twenty years ago, he didn't exist…and he barely exists now. He's not an American citizen, he's not a citizen of any country I checked on, he has no driver's license, he has no credit cards or bank accounts, he's never been arrested or gotten a ticket…he's never been in the military." Stabler shakes his head. "Witness protection program?" Olivia shrugs "If he is, we'll never know. But if he was, they would have set up a false identity. He has none, or next to none. The most remarkable thing is the lack of one."

"You said that there was something though…?" Stabler asks and Olivia responds "A normal Google search got one hit. A woman named Ingrid was found decapitated in Seacouver and an unexploded bomb was found at a nearby neo-NAZI rally. The remote control for the device was found near Ingrid's body. A reporter did a 'man on the street' sort of interview with an Adam Pierson. The reporter asked if he thought if whoever killed Ingrid saved the people at the rally but to the detriment of the community. His answer was remarkable…" Stabler encourages "What was it?" Olivia turns toward him and says "Good question, right up there with chicken and egg." The reporter followed up asking if there was an answer. Pierson responded "There is, but you're not ready to hear it" and then he just walked away.

"That's it?" Stabler asks and Olivia nods. "There was a report of the area near the body being damaged by plasma and the power went out at about the time of the murder. The Seacouver PD and the press tried to find him, but nobody ever did…until maybe now."

"He has other places where he lives. What if he has other identities? What kind of person is he?"

There is another thing. It might not be the same Adam Pierson. The incident was about twenty years ago, he would have been a teen…"

The following morning as Olivia eats her breakfast in preparation to go to work the phone rings. It is Dr. Warner, to Olivia's surprise she asks for Adam. After a brief conversation Adam hands the phone back to Olivia. "What was that?" Olivia asks.

"She has a body she thinks I can help identify."

"A friend or relative of yours?"

"I have no relatives, but it might be a friend."

Olivia's cell phone rings. It's Stabler telling her they have a case and he'll pick her up on the way to the crime scene. "Adam, where did the doctor tell you to go to identify the body?"

"The brambles of Central Park." Adam answers.

"It's very unusual to ask to have a body identified by an acquaintance at the crime scene. But that's where I'm going. Why don't you ride with Stabler and I?"

"I appreciate the lift." Adam says as he grabs a buttered roll and wraps it in a paper towel and puts it in the pocket of his coat.

"You're taking food? It could be pretty ugly."

"I'll eat in the car."

Arriving on the scene Adam trails Olivia and Elliot as they approach the group of police crime scene people. Olivia notices that Adam is looking around the area outside of the where the police specialists have congregated and that Dr. Warner seemed to know Adam was approaching before he was in her sight. As Doctor Warner hurries to meet Adam one of the CSI people says "Hey Doc, I wonder what the cause of death was." and several laugh.

Doctor Warner bypasses Olivia and Stabler and clings to Adam. "I'm glad you are in town." To Olivia's surprise Doctor Warner is upset and not the professional she is normally.

To Olivia's shock Adam guides her down the trail where they talk privately. She also overhears him tell Melinda "You should not have called them." And then a phrase which chills her to the bone "The world we see isn't the world they see."

A uniformed officer approaches with the victim's driver's license which Stabler examines as Olivia watches Adam. "I guess we won't need him to identify the body." He follows Olivia's gaze and adds "You'd think she'd wait to see if there was identification on the body before calling a civilian to a murder scene."

"I think he lied. The doctor knows the victim. She called Adam here for comfort." Olivia observes. "They used to live together." Olivia informs him.

"You think she wants him back?"

Olivia shakes her head. "She got him to find me…"

"Hello Olivia." Doctor Warner says forcing herself to control her emotions.

"There was a driver's license." Elliot says as he starts to hand it to the doctor.

"It will be a false name." Doctor Warner says ignoring the license and Adam nods.

The doctor and Adam walk up and view the severed head and then retreat. They confer privately before Olivia approaches them again.

"How did this get to be a Special Victims case? Was there a sexual assault?" Olivia asks.

"No. I requested it be handled by SVU. I pulled in a couple of favors" Doctor Warner explains.

"Why?" Olivia asks.

"The victim was special…. I can't tell you why." Doctor Warner says as her emotions building up again.

Olivia takes the doctor to a park bench. "Melinda, I don't know what is going on here, but I'm going to treat you as an acquaintance of the victim, and I want you off of this case as a M.E."

Melinda breaks down and clings to Olivia. "Thank you."

"I need to know everything about the victim."

"I can't tell you. I can't tell anybody."

"You must."

"I can't."

"You can't or you won't?"

Adam arrives and motions for Olivia to follow him. As they pass Stabler Adam says in a soft voice but one of command "Sit with her…. Please." Stabler makes a bit of a face but does so.

When they are out of earshot of everyone, Adam says "She should not have called you. She can't tell you very much… it is very hard to explain why. What I can tell you is that the victim was her student. I can tell you where he lived recently. I will warn you that you will find that he didn't exist until about twenty years ago."

"He's only about eighteen…" Olivia observes.

"None the less…. The reason he was killed had nothing to do with what you will learn about him from investigating his apartment."

"What did it have to do with?"

"It doesn't matter. You're going to have to make this case on forensic evidence."

"Why do I think you already know who the guy that did this is?"

"I don't. Have they found a sword yet?" Olivia is shocked by the question. "Find it and check for blood. Her student was good. He would not have gone down without drawing some blood."

"We can check the hospitals for anyone coming in cut."

"You'll only find dead ends. The person that took his head would not have gone to a hospital. You must work quickly or he'll be gone."

A crime scene investigator approaches. "Detective, we found a blood trail going north, but it fades out within a hundred yards. The perp must have been wounded."

"Did you find a sword?" Olivia asks.

"Yeah, to the north, thrown into the brush, the perp must have ditched the weapon he used. We'll dust it for prints. There is another weird thing. Several trees were burned as if they were recently struck by lightening, but there was no storm last light."

Olivia nods and the investigator heads back to resume work. "It's the victim's sword." Adam whispers.

"So what the hell is going on here? Guys dueling to the death like it were some sort of game?" Olivia says.

"Something like that Olivia." Adam says under his breath.

"How would you know?" Olivia asks.

"I can't explain. If you're going to catch the person that did this, you can't be distracted. Gather your forensic evidence and hope you get a hit on the DNA, or whatever else you do."

"Are we going to have more…?"

"I hope not. Melinda may have done the smart thing in calling you in after all." Adam smiles, but it is a troubled smile. Olivia looks at him intently trying to fathom the unsaid under story of what she's been told.

"What are you not telling me?"

"A great deal, but trust me, it doesn't matter."

"I'm finding it very hard to trust you right now." Olivia growls.

"Give me your hand." Adam says as he takes the back of Olivia's hand in his palm and places it on the left side of his long coat near his armpit and slides it down his side. Olivia is shocked and yanks her hand back as she realizes he's carrying a sword. "There are things in this world beyond your experience."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that the limits of reality are not where you think they are."

"What I felt… was that what I think it was?" Olivia asks and Adam nods. "Are you involved with this?"

"No."

"I'm going to need to check that weapon for blood."

"You realize that I was with you all last night…." Adam says with amusement as Olivia glares at him. "I'm going to take Melinda out of here."

"I need to interview her."

"No, you don't…. work the forensics."

"Don't tell me how to run an investigation."

"Am I under arrest? Is she?"

"I could arrest you for carrying a sword in the city…"

"Give me your note pad." Olivia complies and Adam writes some notes in it and gives it back. "Meet me at this location at noon. Bring your partner."

Adam strides off to gather Melinda. "Wait." Olivia commands to no effect.


	5. Chapter 5

Olivia fills Stabler in about Adam carrying a sword. She tells him about what he said about them not seeing the same world that he and Melinda see.

Hours later Stabler drives Olivia down a dirt road in the meadowlands of New Jersey in a place reminiscent of the "leave the gun, take the cannoli" scene from "The Godfather" to a point in the huge reeds where Adam leans on the fender of a rented car. The detectives get out and walk toward him.

"Hello Stabler" Adam says in a threatening manner "Remember what I told that 'expert' in that seminar? You'd better take me before I get too close." Adam starts to walk slowly toward them reaching under his coat as he does so.

"Don't" Stabler commands reaching for his automatic. Olivia puts her hand on hers as well. "Adam, please don't. Suicide by cop is not a solution."

Adam chuckles. "I like my chances of survival. You should have listened." Adam draws a sword from under his coat, shrugging off the coat and allowing it to fall to the ground as he does so. The eyes of both detectives widen as he quickens his pace. Adam raises his sword and nearly reaches Olivia before both detectives fire. Adam crumples to the ground at Olivia's feet. She feels for a pulse, feels none, and turns to Stabler for comfort.

"He gave us no choice." Stabler reassures Olivia. "I'll call it in."

"That was the point. Nice shot Olivia, two rounds, center of mass under pressure. You let me get too close though, the momentum of the sword would have killed you" comes a voice from the ground. Olivia gasps as Adam rolls to one side and starts to get up despite blood on his chest.

"Don't move. We'll get an ambulance." Olivia pleads. Stabler kicks the sword away from Adam pointing his gun at him.

"I don't need one." Adam pulls open his shirt and swipes the blood to reveal he's not wounded. He gets up and goes to the car and gets out a change of clothing. "I told you the limits of reality aren't where you thought they were." He casually removes his bloody shirt and uses it to wipe the blood from his body before tossing it to the side of the clearing.

Stabler asks "Is this a trick?"

Adam ignores the question but Olivia holds up the shirt spread out to reveal four bullet holes. "Elliot…" Olivia says in shock as she puts her fingers through the holes "I don't think that was a trick." Adam says "Better listen Elliott" as pulls on his fresh shirt. Elliot stares at the holes. Adam puts the coat back on and puts his sword away.

"There are people living among you that aren't exactly human. Their affairs are for their kind alone. Melinda has decided that the best thing for her to do was to be satisfied with mortal justice for whoever murdered her student. Many of us would take personal revenge… She a good person… But, f you don't get the murderer, she might decide to hunt him down herself. I'd hate to have her hunting for me; she's skilled, resourceful, and tenacious. But the end would be a fight to the death and I have my doubts she would survive the encounter."

Olivia takes this in and processes it quicker than Stabler. "She's your 'student' isn't she?" Olivia asks.

"I see why she puts so much faith in you." Adam says with a smile.

"How long ago did you meet her?" Olivia asks.

"About 1850." Adam answers. Stabler's eyes shift between Olivia and Adam following the discussion which feels as unreal as a dream.

"That fantasy you use to ease my bad dreams… that's not a fiction… you lived it."

"Yes"

"Why here? Why wait until noon?" Stabler asks.

"I took Melinda where she would be safe, convinced her to wait there, and she gave me permission to tell you about her. If she didn't, she and I would be several states away by now."

"Tell us about her." Olivia asks.

"Some other time, right now you need to be searching for hits on those forensics. I don't know who killed her student or why. The few others like us who live in the city would not likely have done it. It could be as simple as a chance encounter."

"They are running the DNA as we speak." Stabler advises.

"If it isn't as 'simple as a chance encounter'…?" Olivia asks.

"It could be someone hunting Melinda, trying to goad her into doing something stupid. If that is the case, they'd be far better off if you caught them."

"Have you killed?" Stabler asks.

"Heh" is all Adam says as he gets into his car.

Watching Adam's car slowly make its way through the soft muddy ground Stabler says "What the hell just happened?"

"I think we've just been served notice that we aren't in Kansas anymore. We're not even in New York anymore. Where we are, I have no idea. We can't even see our old reality from where we are. But I have an idea where we can get a map."

As Stabler and Benson park the car at the station, Olivia says "I can't get something out of my head. There were times when he wanted to avoid an area… What could scare a guy like him?" Elliott nods "It tells me that there is something else out there…and if that is right, I really don't want to meet it."

After making their way back to the squad room, the two detectives get Detective Munch, the squad's expert in the strange and unusual, to join them in the observation room to "the box." They relate their tale to Munch who listens carefully but isn't as shocked as they would have expected. "Well?" Stabler asks when they are through.

"Back in 1986 there was a series of murders by decapitation. In each case the surrounding area was damaged by some sort of plasma discharge. There was one witness, a survivalist slash mercenary slash crime fighter whack job. He claimed that he emptied a clip from a machine gun point blank into a guy wielding a sword only to have the guy get up and skewer him like an olive in a martini. There was one suspect, an antique dealer from Hudson Street, but nobody was ever charged. When he disappeared, the murders stopped."

"Do you remember his name?"

"No. But Cragen worked on the case."

Shortly later the three detectives gather with their captain in his office. Captain Cragen listens with a mixture of horror and sadness to what each has to say. When they are done Cragen says "I was a young detective. We had an old school police Lieutenant named Moran who headed the investigation with Bedsoe as the lead detective. Bedsoe was a creep, but a good detective. I was hoping to never see another murder like those. The antique dealer was named Russell Nash, but he disappeared in 1986. Moran retired and married Rachel, Nash's secretary but they've both passed away. If Moran learned anything after he retired, he never told anybody. Rachel never was interviewed. The antique store is still there. Moran and Rachel ran it for years before selling it and moving to Florida. You be careful. As you already know, guns are useless."

"Nash had a katana, right Captain?" Munch asks.

"Yeah." Cragen responds.

"That sword Adam had was not a katana." Olivia observes.

"It was an Ivanhoe…." Stabler observes and the others look at him with a mixture of surprise and amusement. "I've been researching since that class."

"Feeling inadequate?" Munch teases and Stabler shoots him a dirty look.

"Olivia, do you have a date planned with him for tonight?" Cragen asks and Olivia nods. "Keep it. See what you can find out."

"You want me to 'spy-bang' him?" Olivia asks aghast.

"Just do whatever you normally do, but see if he'll give up any more information." Cragan clarifies. Stabler snorts. "Problem Detective?" Cragan chastises.

"No Captain."

"Good. Munch and I will check out the shop on Hudson Street. Olivia and Elliot, you two see if you can figure out where Doctor Warner is and see if the M.E.'s lab has gotten any hits on the DNA. We keep any mention of plasma discharges and people who survive being shot strictly between us and out of your reports and notes. It has been PP's directive to Captains ever since 1986."

"Let me get this straight… I'm on the INSIDE of a conspiracy." Munch says.

"Congratulations Munch. But remember, you can never talk about it."

Shortly after the meeting breaks up Munch is driving Cragen to Hudson Street. They find a parking space near the shop and go in. Munch looks at the objects for sale and notices that there are no price tags and says. "I think the least expensive thing here would cost a month's pay." As Cragan and Munch walk around the shop they are watched by a muscular man working at a desk.

Meanwhile Olivia gets the information she requested about Dr. Warner's cell phone location. She quickly takes out her phone and calls her Captain.

At the antique shop the man from the desk approaches the two detectives. "We're still in the process of getting fully set up. But if you want any information, I'll be right over there."

"Thank you. My name is Don and this is John." Cragan says extending his hand.

"My name is Duncan. What are you looking for?

The Captain's phone rings and he excuses himself to answer it. "We're interested in antique weapons, specifically swords, perhaps a katana." Munch says.

"We have some swords. True katanas are very difficult to find for sale. What price range were you thinking?"

"Oh, perhaps ten thousand…" Munch says thinking the amount is sufficient.

"Okay, I can work with that… but you realize that…. What do you plan to do with it?"

Cragan returns. "Perhaps you could introduce us to Melinda Warner."

Duncan sizes up the two officers considering. "It's okay Duncan. They are friends" comes a familiar voice from the foot of the stairs. Doctor Warner approaches. "Couldn't resist checking up on me?"

"Actually we came here because it was a place involved with a series of decapitations in 1985. But Olivia called to tell me that your cell phone was here. Could we speak in private?"

"Anything we need to discuss we can talk about with Duncan."

"Are you sure?" Cragan asks.

"I'm sure. Have Olivia and Elliot met Adam?"

"Yes."

"Did things go well?"

"I'm not sure what you mean by 'well' but everyone is okay, although Olivia and Elliot were pretty shaken up."

"I can imagine. Did Adam explain to Olivia how he met me?"

"Only that it was a long time ago. Doc, are you in any danger?"

"As long as I stay here I'm quite safe. I have two brave gentlemen keeping me from harm."

"Well, if there is anything you need…"

"You mean other than the name." Melinda responds.

"Yes, other than that. I'm not setting anyone up, and I don't want to have to investigate either of your 'brave gentlemen' for murder."

"We're patient. Find the murderer and jail him for as long as mortal justice allows." Duncan responds with a grin.

"There is that term again 'mortal justice' which implies that there is… immortal justice?" Munch observes.

"No, just that your justice is limited. But it is sufficient to give one time to evade and establish a new identity. There is no 'immortal' justice." Duncan explains.

"There is revenge." Melinda growls to Cragan & Munch's shock.

"Your teacher would disagree." Duncan cautions. "He's been known to file false police complaints to force another to break off a hunt. He would also say that there is no margin in revenge."

"He always was too cautious." Melinda counters. Duncan nods, but Cragan notes an amused look on Duncan's face which indicates he knows something Melinda doesn't. Similar to the feeling Stabler got when Adam demonstrated knife fighting techniques, a shiver goes down his spine. He has the distinct feeling that Adam is very dangerous and he's got a date with Olivia in a few hours that he encouraged her to keep.

"Where were you last night Mr. Macleod?" Cragan asks.

"Right here, alone most of the evening except for about an hour when I went to the bar for a wee bit of Glenmorangie."

"You have good taste in whiskey." Munch says.

"I'd be a pretty poor Scotsman if I didn't." Duncan says with a smile. "Stop by about nine tonight and the three of us will have a wee nip."

"I may just take you up on that." Munch replies.

On their way back to the squad, Cragan cautions Munch. "If we get a hit on that DNA, you can forget that 'wee nip', we don't need that Scotsman drinking with you until YOU talk. Remember, these people kill. Their bite is worse than their bark, when they bark at all."

"I'm hearing you, but think of the things they've seen. Doctor Warner lived through the Civil War. Who knows how old Duncan is, or Adam. Think of the tales they could tell."

"I don't want to think about it. We need to deal with the here and now."

Later that evening as Munch tries unsuccessfully to get information from Duncan as Doctor Warner watches in amusement; Olivia is receiving her nightly massage.

"Have you ever killed anyone?" Olivia asks.

"Has your captain asked you to question me? Is he hoping I'll be so distracted by your body that I'll admit something?"

"Something like that, but that's not why I asked."

"Don't ask questions you don't want the answers to."

"And you think I don't really want the answer?"

"I think you would not believe it." Adam responds.

"How old are you?"

"I'm probably the only guy who has been on a stage with Julius Caesar and the Rolling Stones. How do you like this moisturizer?" Olivia's mind reels. She doesn't respond for a moment. "It smells nice doesn't it?" Adam asks in a manner indicating that this is the most important part of the conversation.

"Huh? Yes it does. You knew Julius Caesar?"

"Not well, I was a slave. But I was on the stage with him." Adam casually explains as he massages the back of Olivia's thighs.

"A slave?" Olivia questions her protective instincts have engaged.

"A chef, the pinnacle of being a Roman slave, you should taste my stuffed house mice. I once made peacock brains for ten. It's difficult to get enough peacocks for that, they have very small brains."

"I think I'll pass."

"I could do a thing for you with chestnuts and lentils…."

"I'm sorry I shot you."

"Sorry to put you through it, but it was the only way to convince you of the truth. But perhaps you could make it up to me later."

"I can't tell you what we learn…" Olivia cautions.

"I know, I had something sooner in mind…. And Stabler can just live with it."

"Ohhhhh" Olivia flirts back. "How did you meet Doctor Warner?"

"I dug her up." He says casually. "Her name was Sadie back then and mine was Nathan."

"Dug her up?"

"Literally, she was a slave who had been killed by her master." Adam says as he begins to work on Olivia's feet. "Do you really want to talk about this now?"

"Please."


	6. Chapter 6

"Are you sure? It isn't a pleasant story…" Adam asks and Olivia nods nervously.

"I could tell you about walking down what is now Broadway with the Lenape when it was only a trail through the woods." Olivia responds "Some other time." Adam defers "I could tell you about crossing the Atlantic with Brendan and some Irish monks." Olivia just stares.

Adam continues about Melinda "She was used by her master for his pleasures. She didn't know what she was or her true potential. She was trapped. That existence was all she knew. Ironically, she had cared for him when she was a young and he younger. His parents died in some contagion or another and he was just old enough to inherit the plantation. That's when his cruel streak came out.

"He abused her regularly, but one day, she fought back. Do you really want to hear this? Olivia's eyes have teared up, but she nods. "Her master took her one last time and then hung by the neck naked."

"They hung her with her toes barely touching the ground so she could struggle trying to survive. He and his friends gambled on how long it would take for her to die. They watched and mocked her." Adam continues as a tear runs down Olivia's cheek.

"I'd heard about it in town and was on my way out when I passed by her grave. We can sense the presence of others of our kind. I realized what she was, and after dark I went back and took her body, hid it in the wagon and continued on my way. It was her first death and it took a long time before she recovered. I was washing her off in a stream nearly a day later when she regained consciousness. She thought I was molesting her and put up one hell of a fight. I had to kill her again and bind her before continuing away from the area where she might be recognized and returned. It took days before she was convinced not to runaway, and much longer for her to accept what I told her about what she was and that I was helping. Even then she reacted with fear any time I brushed up against her."

"A natural reaction."

"Of course… Eventually, I learned to ease her nightmares as I did with you. Months later, by the time we reached Canada, we were lovers. A few years later she met somebody, another former slave, and they married."

"Good for her." Olivia says.

"She's strong. She has her scars, but she'll never be a victim again. She has been my only student. When one of us takes a student straight from their first death, it is a deep connection. We can't have children. But taking someone from death to immortal life is something akin ….. I know there are some who have had many students, but I won't…. I've been married seventy times, but I won't marry an immortal. Perhaps I'm too selfish."

"You are possibly the least selfish man I've ever met."

Adam smiles a sad smile. "You say that because you don't really know me."

"Perhaps I don't. I know, until a few days ago, I didn't…."

"People change Olivia. Life is about change. Mortals change over their lifetimes; imagine how much someone who has lived multiple lifetimes can change. Yet what they once were is always a part of them."

Olivia nods trying to grasp what she's being told. "What are you trying not to tell me?"

"Just that the man you know is not the man he once was."

Adam's massage works its way to the back of Olivia's thighs.

"How are you coming along with your investigation?"

"I can't talk to you about that."

"All right, has the name Willis Ryan come up?" Adam feels for the involuntary tells Olivia might give as he senses her heartbeat and respiration. There are none.

"Why?"

"I can't tell you that, but it has a high level of confidence."

"How?"

"I can't tell you that either. I'll come in and make a report on what was seen as if I saw it. What do they call it… confidential informant?"

"I can't take a false report."

"The report will only be false in who saw it."

"Adam, you can't do that. If someone saw it, they must come forward themselves."

"That won't happen. They will not interfere….

"Consider the alternatives. This guy will be going after Sadie… Melinda. If I have to, I'll kill him. She's good, but she's not a killer..."

Olivia feels ill. "…like you?" She asks filling in the unspoken.

Adam gives a nearly imperceptible nod.

"My God…" Olivia sighs.

The next day, Olivia and Stabler have a man in the box. He had been seen on a store security camera leaving Central Park shortly after the estimated time of death. They have little to go on, because he refused a DNA swab, but he felt 'wrong' but that was immaterial to the legal system. He did not request an attorney but seemed immune to pressure with a patience that eerily reminded Olivia of Adam. Stabler and Olivia excuse themselves to go discuss their next move in the observation room.

"We've got nothing to base a warrant on. Maybe he'll take a coffee or something and we can get his DNA." Stabler says looking through the one way glass.

Olivia has her back to the glass. She responds "Adam scared the hell out of me last night. We're already running out of time. He seems to think some guy named Willis Ryan did it. I think the guy we have gave us a false ID. There is nothing under that name except in the last few years. Let's run a facial recognition on his driver's license photo and see what comes back."

"I agree, be right back." Stabler leaves to be replaced by Cragan.

Cragan looks through the glass. "I thought you said he didn't attorney up."

Olivia turns to look and gasps slightly. "That's Adam."

Cragan's eyes widen. "What the hell is he doing in there?"

They turn up the sound to pick up the quiet conversation as Stabler returns. He's startled to see Adam talking to their suspect.

"What language is that?" Olivia asks.

"I recognize some from my alter boy days. It's Latin." Stabler observes. "Atone, student, debt, retribution…."

"Tell me there is a tape on this?" Cragan asks. "Only two types of people converse in Latin, scholars and people old enough to have spoken it a living language."

Olivia responds "It's recording. But let's get him out of there before he incriminates himself."

"Too late." Stabler says as Adam gets up out of his chair and starts to leave.

The three rush to the entrance of the box where they run into Adam casually walking out. "Hello Olivia. Have you eaten yet?" Adam asks.

"What were you doing in there?" Olivia asks.

"Reacquainting with someone I knew a long time ago." Adam explains with a shrug.

Stabler goes into the box where the suspect looks at him with some amusement. "I'd like to confess… no allocution though."

"Why?" Stabler asks.

"Let's say it was on the advice of my attorney." Stabler stands puzzled.

Outside the room, Adam says "If you recorded my conversation with my client, you' need to destroy the tape or whatever it is. The confidentiality of attorney – client conversations is sacrosanct."

"You're an attorney?" Olivia asks.

"I've been a great many things. Shall we get lunch? The Italian place across the street looks good." Adam says.

"It is." Olivia responds.

Moments later, seated in a booth looking over the menu, Olivia asks "You probably won't explain, but I'm going to ask anyway. What the hell just happened?"

Adam takes a piece of bread from the basket on the table and butters it. "The funny part is…. Is it possible that I'm still legally an attorney since I passed the bar under another name over a hundred years ago?"

"Don't play with me." Olivia warns unamused.

"Okay." Adam takes a bite of the bread. "Good bread, a good indication that the meal will be good as well. I'm a doctor too… really … Heidelberg, class of 1453."

"Be serious."

"I am, but I'm sure I'm out of practice now. The use of leaches is making a come back."

"Don't mock me."

"I'm sorry Olivia, the last thing I want to do is to mock you. It's just that I'm relieved we got out of this thing with nobody else getting killed."

"How?"

"I gave him a choice. He could plead guilty and do his time, or I'd get to him before he could get to Sadie."

"He is that afraid of you?"

"No. Long ago we were friendly. I helped him out and I guess he felt obligated to return it. Gotta love the good guys."

"He's going to do serious time. That must have been a big favor."

"Did you ever notice that when you were very young, year seemed like a long time and as you as time went by it didn't seem so long anymore?" Olivia nods and Adam continues "Imagine you were two thousand years old…."

"The minutes, hours, and days don't seem to change though." Olivia observes.

Adam smiles. "You are wise beyond your years."

The waiter arrives and asks "The usual Olivia?" and she nods. "and for the gentleman?"

"I'll have whatever she's having." Adam responds, handing back the unread menu and noting the amused look on Olivia's face.

"Two petite salads." The waiter says as he walks away. Adam pouts slightly.

"So what was the favor?" Olivia asks Adam who is watching the waiter walk away longingly.

"Huh?"

"The favor, what was it?"

"We were gladiators and were paired against each other and we came up with a plan. I won, they voted for his death, I executed him, but I recovered his body from the pile so he could escape." Adamd train of thought wanders. "I've see Christians fed to the lions. Some were happy to be martyrs. In the end, only the lions were happy."

"You killed him?"

"I helped him escape."

"But if he was going to go after the doc, you'd…?"

"Yup. What you must understand is that there are few rules and one of them is 'in the end, there can only be one' so we are all always both hunters and prey."

"What do you mean?"

"It is simple. What is the question?"

"In the end there can only be one. What does that mean?"

"Exactly what you think it means."

"You people kill each other until only one remains?" Olivia asks in horror and Adam nods casually. "So you might kill Melinda?"

"I'd prefer not to, but if it were her or me, I'd prefer to win."

The salads arrive and with them bottles of oil and vinegar. Adam takes the oil and pours a bit on his plate and dabs the bread into it. As Olivia prepares to eat her salad, Adam rips a piece of bread in half and dips it in the oil before handing it to Olivia. "Now we have broken bread together." He says as she takes it.

"How old are you?"

"Old enough to recall when that was part of each meal."

"Really, how old are you?"

"That knowledge carries great danger and I would not want that for you."

"Danger? Why?" Olivia asks, but Adam only shakes his head.

Later that afternoon, Olivia meets with Melinda and informs her that her student's killer would be pleading guilty and how that came to be. The reaction is not what Olivia expects. "So he protected his friend did he?" Melinda growls.

"You called us. What did you think would happen?" Olivia asks.

"I'm sorry; I don't want to sound ungrateful."

"We would have had a hard time getting warrants for his DNA or apartment if Adam hadn't talk to him. All we had was a low quality security cam video of a guy leaving the park." Olivia says and Melinda nods.

"He taught me that a fight avoided is as good as a fight won." Melinda consoles herself.

"Melinda, how old is he? He said it would be dangerous for me to know."

"He always told me the same thing. Don't dig. I know you'll want to, but don't. Just accept what is before you. I did."

"Can we go up on the roof? I want to talk to you privately." Olivia asks.

A few minutes later they emerge on the roof and naturally look over the parapet wall. "What is it like…. to live as you do?" Olivia asks.

"Not so different from you. I do my job, I get paid, I pay my bills, and I go on dates. I don't have to worry about disease. There is a chance on any given day I'll have to fight for my life… Unless it is another of my kind, I like my chances of survival."

"When you got shot in the morgue?"

"I knew I'd live ultimately. My biggest fear was that I would die and recover in front of witnesses."

"When Elliot and I shot Adam he was hit four times and recovered in minutes. But you took a lot longer…"

"We don't know why the time varies, but one factor is likely the number of Quickenings we have."

Olivia is puzzled. "The number of children you've had…?"

"No. Each one of us has a Quickening; it is what makes us immortal. When one of us decapitates another, they get the loser's Quickening and all of the others they have taken. I've never seen it happen, but…."

"The plasma burns at the park…" Olivia observes and Melinda nods. "So the difference could be because he's killed more…." Melinda nods.

"Keep in mind that he's much older." Melinda explains as Olivia scowls.

"There was a huge difference." Olivia insists.

Melinda nods. "There is a huge difference in our ages…"

"….and a huge difference in the number of people he's killed." Olivia sighs. "What is it that you aren't saying?"

"Olivia, don't ask questions. Accept him how what he is now. I don't know much about him beyond he's been alive since Roman times."

"But you suspect something…"

"My suspicions are meaningless." Melinda says as Olivia watches. After a moment, Melinda smiles. "You think if you wait, I'll volunteer more information. I'm close to two hundred years old and I'm not aging…. pretty sure I can out wait you."

"Yeah, I think you have a point there. He told me how he met you. I had no idea. I'm so sorry."

"It happened before your great grandparents were born."

"But you aren't over it…"

"I still have nightmares sometimes…"

"But he saved you and eased your pain. I can see why you'd be loyal. But why did you leave him?"

"What did he tell you?"

"That you met another former slave and fell in love."

"That's half of the story."

"What's the rest?" Olivia urges.

"I wanted him to go back and kill him…. and he refused. He said what is done is done and nothing would change it. I got so angry…. But he'd already done so much…. I had no right…. What had happened to me…. was legal."

"He told you it was legal?"

"He didn't have to, I already knew it. I should have done it myself. But I wasn't skilled enough and there was the war… A white man could have…" Melinda smashes her hand onto the parapet. Olivia holds her.

"That's why you left him…" Olivia urges and Melinda nods.

"I was mad at him; I didn't want him to leave. He introduced me to the man who became my husband and then suddenly he was gone."

Later that night Olivia confronts Adam. "After all she'd been through, how could you just leave her?"

"I gave her the tools she needed, introduced her to someone with whom she shared a background and someone to continue her training."

"But she was still vulnerable and you were all she had."

"No, as I just said, she had others before I left."

"Still you abandoned her."

Adam sighs. "She's a good woman. She wanted me to do something she would have felt guilty about and it would not have lessened her pain. There's no profit in vengeance. I gave up vengeance millennia ago."

"What about justice?"

Adam shrugs. "What about it?" Olivia is exacerbated and Adam continues. "Perhaps, I went back. Perhaps, I buried this man in what had been her grave. Perhaps, he was alive and conscious as I shoveled dirt onto him. Would that take away her pain? Would that make it all right? Would knowing that had been done in her name make her happy? Not the Melinda I know. My presence was a reminder of what happened to her. My leaving allowed her to turn the page."

"Did you…..?"

"I said perhaps."

"I know what you said. But did you kill her master?"

"Good question. I'm getting a cold one. Want a beer?"

"I'd like an answer."

"He was mortal. Like all mortals who experienced the American Civil War, he's dead now. Adam answers while retrieving two cold long neck beers in one hand while opening them with the other.

"That's not what I meant."

"I know." Adam hands one to Olivia before sprawling into an easy chair. "If I killed him, would you think more of me or less? If you were killed, would you want me to commit murder to avenge you? Melinda told me you have been harmed and the guys that did it were jailed. Would you prefer that they were killed without trial?"

Olivia thinks a long time as Adam swigs his beer. Finally Olivia answers "I honestly don't know."

"When you know, I'll answer your question."

"Will it be the truth?"

Adam smiles a devilish grin "Perhaps"

"What is it like? To be so old and to have seen so much…"

It is Adams turn to ponder. "The men who went to the moon and saw Earth from that distance were impressed by how much of what people worry about is irrelevant. I suppose an immortal's perception of time is similar. So much of what mortal's spend their limited time on is irrelevant only they don't see it. They also don't see how short their lives are."

"What is relevant to you?"

"Surprisingly simple things…" Adam smiles and deliberately lowers his gaze from Olivia's eyes to her blouse making sure she notices. Olivia glares back. He shifts his eyes to the beer she's holding "Good beer." Adam says holding up the bottle. "The willingness of a good mortal woman to spend some of her precious time with me" Olivia blushes, "a good book, a fine horse, a sunrise on a day with just the right clouds…"

"What do you think of how I spend my life?" Olivia asks hesitantly.

"What I think is irrelevant. What matters is how you perceive it."

"I'd like your perspective."

Adam thinks and swigs his beer and picks at the label. "The things you try to stop will always exist. You are like Sisyphus trying to roll a boulder to the top of a mountain only to have it roll back every time." Olivia looks devastated, but Adam continues. "But to those you help you have made a permanent positive difference. It is all a matter of what scale you use." The timer on the oven sounds off. "The bread is ready." Adam goes to the oven, beer in hand.

"I can't remember a man cooking here for me." Olivia observes.

"Remus aims to please my Lady."

"Huh?" Olivia asks.

"That was my name when I was a slave chef." Adam says casually. "It was in Rome about two thousand years ago, shortly before I was sold to become a gladiator. It was good to be a chef, not so good to be a gladiator. But I can tell you, both were popular with the ladies."

Olivia ponders. "You don't seem like a player."

Adam chuckles. "When it is a woman I care about, I'm as nervous as a school boy." He completes the cuts of the garlic bread. "Dinner is served my Lady."

"I can't imagine how much you've seen in your life. It is fascinating and a bit frightening."

"I live in the present, the same as you do, perhaps more so."

Olivia moves to the table. Things are going well and she feels like she is a part of a family, which is something she's wanted all of her life. She's not going to risk upsetting it by asking questions, at least not tonight. In a moment, Adam sets the meal on the table and serves her.

Do you see your life as having an impact?" Adam asks.

"Sometimes, but there is always another creep, like you said. I try to focus on the victims."

"See? Pretty smart for a kid, you don't need me to tell you these things."

Adam puts a plate containing what looks like road tar in front of Olivia who eyes it suspiciously. "It's lentils and chestnuts. Don't let its look fool you." Olivia tries a bit and finds it to be good. "Things often are not what you would think."

"Like you?" Olivia asks.

Adam nods. "I guess so."

"Really. I thought you were a nice guy, but boring." Olivia swigs her beer nervously. "But now I find you fascinating. I could spend the rest of my life learning about you."

"You might not like what you find. I'm just a guy."

"But the things you've seen…" Olivia smiles and Adam nods.

"Never under estimate the invention of toilet paper." Adam observes wryly.

"Melinda says I should not ask questions. But it is what I do…."

"Olivia, I'll answer your questions on anything within the last two thousand years."

"You…. are older than…." Olivia starts to ask and Adam nods. "Never mind, I shouldn't have asked.

"Stabler thinks you have military training."

"No"


	7. Chapter 7

Much later that night Olivia and Adam lie in bed asleep. Suddenly Adam awakens with a start from a bad dream. Olivia wakes as well "What's the matter?" she asks. Adam looks at her as if he didn't know who she is or where he is as he swivels to sit on the edge of the bed. "Shhhhhhh" She says as she caresses him as he come fully awake. "It's okay. What is it?" Olivia asks.

"Nothing" Adam says as he gets out of bed and gets some water from the kitchen.

When he returns she says "It didn't look like nothing."

"Just a memory"

Adam slips back into bed and Olivia snuggles up to him. "A bad memory from long ago?"

"Not so long ago…but far away…"

"What happened?"

"Nothing for you to worry about. It's over."

"Talking can help."

"Not in this case. Go back to sleep."

"You helped me; I'd like to return the favor."

"It is my burden alone." Adam says as Olivia wraps herself around him.

"It doesn't have to be."

"I dreamt of a real situation, but the outcome was reversed. I was killed instead of surviving."

"Sounds like posttraumatic stress disorder."

"Pretty much every immortal over one hundred years old is a poster child for that disorder."

"Who tried to kill you?"

"Lots of people….. You mean in the dream?"

"Yes….. Lots of people?"

"In the dream it was just two, a woman named Cassandra and a friend named Silas. She had me defenseless and the only reason I'm still here is Duncan pleaded for her not to kill me."

"Why would she do that?"

"Why not kill me? I guess she valued Duncan's opinion. She had her reasons for wanting me dead and I understood them. I have some hope she had her own…for not"

"What were they? Why were you helpless?"

"Go to sleep."

"All right, but I wish you would open up to me."

Just about when Adam figured Olivia was dozing off she asks "Your friend tried to kill you?"

Adam sighs. "Silas was a friend… I considered him a brother in all but blood and bath. But I had to prevent him from killing Cassandra. When we kill another of our own kind we're incapacitated for several minutes. Now go to sleep."

Again just as he thinks she's fading off to sleep. "You killed Silas?"

"Oh for the love of…"

"I'm sorry."

Adam gets out o the bed and goes to the kitchen. Olivia hears cabinet doors opening and closing. "Do you have anything stronger than wine?" Adam asks.

"There's a half full bottle of vodka…." Olivia starts to respond before Adam says "Found it." Adam returns with the bottle and a single glass which he places on the night table and half fills it.

Olivia watches concerned. "That's quite a blast. I hope I haven't driven you…"

"It's not for me. It's for you." Adam says handing the glass to Olivia. "Do you have a Bible?"

"On the case over there." Olivia says pointing with one finger while holding the glass with the others.

Adam retrieves the Bible and begins searching. "Go ahead and down that." He says and Olivia takes a small sip. "To the bottom." Adam says in Russian.

"I used to ride with three other guys…. They are dead. I favored a pale horse." He says to a mystified Olivia searching for a passage as he sits on the bed. "Revelations 6:8" Adam hands the Bible to Olivia and rolls onto his side to sleep.

Olivia looks at the passage and reads out loud:

"And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth."

Olivia reads, her eyes open wide, and she downs the remaining vodka without thinking about it. "We have to talk about this." She says.

"No, we don't. We really don't. What is there to talk about? I'm not like that anymore. You wanted to know; now you do. It was written after the actual events, as a metaphor for events to come, not as a history of what happened. It isn't literal. But we may…may have been the inspiration… Still, for some, myth has replaced fact. If you let anyone know, it may cost more deaths… perhaps mine….perhaps yours…perhaps Melinda's student already… It doesn't matter what is real…only what others think is real."

The next day in the squad room Olivia is called into a meeting with Captain Cragan, ADA Cabot, Elliot, and Doctors Melinda Warner and George Huang. Cragan lays down the rules. "1 PP wants what we discuss here to never leave this room. Olivia, your friend Adam has created one hell of a mess. Ms. Cabot was asked about the situation surrounding the plea and we provided the tape of the discussion with Adam. They took it to a professor at Hudson University for translation and then it hit the fan."

"Are they cleared…?" Olivia asks concerning ADA Cabot and FBI Doctor George Huang.

"They are now." Cragan reassures.

The ADA takes the floor. "The last part of their conversation was in Latin as Elliott recognized from his alter boy days. But the first part of it was in a language the existence of which, until yesterday, has been only a theory. The linguistics professor nearly had a canary when he realized they were speaking Proto-Indo-European."

"Excuse me, but how can a language be theoretical?" Elliott asks.

The ADA answers. "I'm a bit fuzzy on that myself. Apparently there are enough similarities in ancient languages that they are familiar with to theorize the existence an earlier parent language."

"Okay…" Elliott says not quite satisfied.

"They then created a theoretical language which could be that ancestor."

"So couldn't these guys have learned it like geeks learn say Klingon?" Elliott asks before glancing to Olivia and adding "Sorry, but…."

Ms Cabot explains. "That's a good question, but no. You see the conversation included some words and syntax that were previously unexpected, sort of like in the movie 'Jurassic Park' where they learned some things about dinosaurs only after recreating them. That conversation filled in gaps that people had argued about for years with little hope of ever having proof of what was correct. Careers might be in shambles because of that conversation if it were circulated among academics. Fortunately, it has been classified. There was also one word believed to be a name."

The FBI physiologist takes over. "Olivia just before and when your boyfriend enters the room the suspect reacts. It is almost as if he anticipates the entrance…."

"Adam said they sense the presence of others of their kind…"

"That explains part of it. He hides it well, but when he sees Adam, his anxiety level shoots up and he utters the first word of their conversation under his breath which might be a name…. 'Methos.' Do you know what that means?"

Unnoticed in the corner Melinda's own anxiety level skyrockets and she shifts in her chair.

Olivia explains "He's had other names… Nathan, Remus…but no I don't know."

"Well we'll let the language expert worry about it. It is irrelevant anyway. What concerns our office was the content of the rest of their conversation before they switched to the exchange in Latin. Olivia, did Adam explain why the suspect chose to plead guilty?"

"He said he owed Adam a huge favor from a long time ago and twenty five years is no big deal for someone like him."

Cragan speaks up. "I'm afraid he told you a fairytale."

The ADA slides a printed transcript to Olivia. It is clear that while much is left unsaid between the two men, the suspect agreed to plead out in fear. "We need to build a case and win it in court. I can't in good conscious accept a plea that was obtained essentially at gunpoint. I also can't reveal what we know about…. I still can't believe this stuff."

"Well you didn't see him take four rounds through the chest at point blank range in a New Jersey swamp and then get up." Olivia growls. "It made a believer out of me and took a year off of my life." Stabler nods.

Cabot gets the investigation back on course. "Miranda, what can you tell us about the victim? I understand you had a personal connection. So you're here as a witness rather than as a Medical Examiner."

All eyes turn to Doctor Warner, but she sits troubled and says nothing. Olivia comes to her defense. "Leave her alone."

"Don't you want to solve this case Melinda?" Cragan asks.

"You don't understand what you're asking of her." Olivia counters. Cragan does know, but was leaving it up to Melinda how much to reveal.

"Perhaps you are also too close to this case Olivia." Cabot cautions. All wait for an answer.

Melinda breaks her silence and to Gragan's shock she says barely over a whisper "I'm nearly two hundred years old." Alex and Huang's eyes open in shock and Alex inhales suddenly. "I could tell you a long story about how I found him shortly after his first death in Chicago in the 1960's and how we became lovers but it would be pointless. Officially he's only had this identity for about ten years and the motivations aren't the same as for the cases you are used to investigating and nothing you could use in court." Melinda falls silent again.

"I'll interview her alone." Olivia offers.

"I'd like to be there. I'm curious…from a professional standpoint." Doctor Huang says.

"IF Melinda agrees AND you will maintain conformance with 1 PP's policy – nothing gets written down or recorded in anyway." Cragan commands. "There is no discussion about this."

The room slowly clears out. ADA Cabot approaches Melinda as she gets up "I'm sorry for your loss and for pushing you to reveal yourself. I didn't know you are…. I still don't know what to call you."

Melinda looks her in the eyes and says "You call me Melinda or Doctor Warner. I'm the same person you've known." The ADA starts to say something. "I know. As a group, you could refer to us as immortals."

"I'll look forward to what Olivia has to report about your friend." The ADA retreats.

Doctor Huang approaches Melinda like she's a specimen, but he was watching the conversation with the ADA and is more cautious. "Melinda, I would like to talk to you…some time…at your convenience. I've never had the chance to talk to … someone like you."

"You mean someone who was murdered? Someone who was a slave? Someone who lives in secret in a world where they may have to fight for their lives to the death just for being what they are? You probably have without knowing it. We're good at hiding what we are. Be grateful you're having this conversation me and not Adam." Melinda says as her eyes narrow. Doctor Huang nods and bows out.

"You smacked them down pretty hard." Olivia says with a smile when they are alone. She motions for Melinda to sit but she doesn't.

"They had it coming. I'm not talking to you here. I don't trust them." Melinda growls. "For what I am, I'm very young. But they would do well to remember the saying about meddling in the affairs of dragons."

Olivia is puzzled and wondering what else is real. Melinda sees her confusion and giggles a bit. "No Olivia." Olivia breathes a sigh of relief.

About an hour later Olivia finds herself sitting with Melinda on a bench in a cemetery. Melinda had been pleasant but slightly agitated until they reached the cemetery.

Olivia begins her interview but before she gets out more than the first few words. Melinda cuts her off. "You've got to understand, I didn't know who he was. He was always so good to me."

"Who are you talking about?"

"Adam. I didn't know who he was. I'm sorry." Melinda's eyes begin to tear.

"It's okay…."

"No. It's not. At least I know now why he never answered my questions."

"You're not making sense."

"Methos, he's the oldest living immortal. He's part myth part legend. He's not two thousand years old; he's more like five thousand, maybe more. The guy you have locked up must be nearly as old if he recognized him and spoke that language."

"I still don't get why you'd be sorry to have introduced us."

"Not much is known and conjecture has spun a thousand webs… Facts…nothing is certain…smoke and shadows…myths… Olivia, one of them is that Methos was one of the Four Horsemen."

"Well, he did have us riding horses in the dreams." Olivia says, not revealing what she learned the previous night.

"No, everybody rode a horse, if they had one. No I mean from the Bible, the Book of Revelations. You would know him as the rider of the pale horse… Death. If that's true… he may killed more people than you can imagine."


	8. Chapter 8

Back at the station house ADA Cabot has gathered Captain Cragan and Doctor Huang and they are reading the text of the translated discussion recorded in the box. Cragan and Huang had been told a little about the content, but this is the first time they've read it. Huang mutters "My God… He said he'd rip his … testicles and penis off…" Cragan looks up unconsciously crossing his legs and says "The more chilling part is right after that…just one word…'again'." Cabot gets a slight smile before she can suppress it and says "Keep reading boys. He casually asks how long they took to grow back. You see why we can't accept this confession. It could be interpreted that Adam was an agent of the police since it happened in the interrogation room. Plus, who would believe it."

Alex asks Huang "What can you tell us about his personality?" Huang shakes his head. "There is no frame of reference. We're talking about a guy who is thousands of years old. Olivia said he saw Christians being fed to the lions, but he is far older than that if he speaks conversational Proto Indo European. It is said that all but the pyramids fear time… This guy…and the other one are older than the pyramids. Things we see as permanent are passing fads to someone like this. Olivia reported that she overheard him tell Melinda that the world they see isn't the same world we see. That isn't literally true, but his view of it is. I spoke to Melinda because I wanted to learn more…she said I was lucky I was talking to her and not him. She was right." Cragan takes this in and says "Doc, if 'Liv in danger?" Huang shrugs "I don't think so, but we have no idea what he values or what lengths he might go to protect them. He cares for Olivia, but there maybe other things he values more." Cragan nods but reasons "Well we know some things. He has been good to Olivia so far. He cares enough about Melinda to protect her and get this guy to confess…"

Alex suddenly has a revelation "I don't think the guy that confessed did it… If he did, and if Adam frightens him so much, he could have just framed him and then killed him. Isn't that what these…people do?" Cragan nods. "One thought that has allowed me to sleep since the 1980's is that, like the myth about the Mob, they only kill each other." Alex says "What if, like the Mob, that is a myth?" Cragan nods grimly.

As the meeting breaks up with more questions than answers Alex is thinking that she loved history and meeting someone who lived it would have been a fantasy come true, but now it fills her with terror.

Cragan runs all of the copies of the transcript except his through the shredder.

That night Alex slowly finishes a box of day old chicken lo mein cold watching the a program about ancient Rome on television without really following it lost in the thought about the days events. She goes to her bedroom, puts her glasses on the nightstand and slips out of her casual clothes and into a white silk nightshirt without turning on the lights and slips into bed. She lies staring at the ceiling as her eyes adjust to the darkness. Suddenly she has the thought that she's not alone. Trying not to be obvious and feeling a little silly she looks around to reassure herself that it was just a random thought. To her absolute horror she sees in the darkness a muscular man taking the clothes she tossed onto the chair off of his lap and her bra off of his head. Alex inhales violently and reaches for the nightstand where she keeps a pistol.

"Alex, a gun isn't going to get it done. You are in no danger." Alex turns on the light with the gun in her hand. "Point it at me if it makes you feel better." Alex levels the gun and cocks the hammer. "Who are you?" The man puts the last of her discarded clothing neatly over the back of the chair. "I am Duncan MacLeod." Alex processes this information. "The guy protecting Melinda? Adam's friend?" Duncan nods. "Why are you in my bedroom?" Duncan smiles "I wanted to talk to you privately. The guy that confessed was there, but he didn't do it." Duncan leans forward and starts to get up as Alex tracks him with her gun. "How do you know that?" she asks. Duncan stops and turns to face her. "Because, I did." Alex motions him back to the chair with the gun. Duncan goes back and sits, after putting her bra back up on the back of the chair from which it had fallen.

"You're in a lot of trouble mister. Breaking and entering, stalking, peeping, and some form of murder as yet to be determined…" Duncan shakes his head. "I entered, but I didn't break in, your window was unlocked. I haven't stalked you, I just waited for you. I didn't peep. I thought you'd turn on the lights and I heard you more than saw you. As far as murder goes…it was self defense." Alex studies Duncan carefully. "How old are you?" Duncan says "I was born in 1582, so just over four hundred." Alex digests this and asks "So you were protecting Melinda from…yourself?" Duncan looks down "Adam didn't know that when he brought her to me. She can never know…" Alex continues to study Duncan. He finally continues "When you are what I am, one of the facts of life is that sometimes one of your friends kills another one of your friends. As you get older, you finally accept that sometimes there is nothing to be done about it. Melinda won't see it that way yet. She won't accept that her student was trying to make a name for himself… He gave me no choice. Eventually, she will give me no choice…if she finds out…"

Alex says "So rather than try to explain it, Adam forced an innocent to confess?" Duncan shakes his head "He's not entirely innocent. He was there earlier and had told him he was a match for me." Alex says "Why did you come here? You weren't even a suspect." Duncan nods "What was it he said to me once… Oh yes... 'A couple of medieval song writers invent chivalry one rainy afternoon and you embrace it as a lifestyle. You live and die by a code that was trendy when you were a kid' or something like that."

Alex suddenly changes the subject "What is it like?" Duncan shrugs. Alex clarifies "What is it like to be what you are?" Duncan nods and thinks "We are just like you. But we are all predators and prey in various proportions. A great man once told me that we kill to live, we don't live to kill." Alex shakes her head. "No, I meant to see so much history." Duncan smiles "No different than you…just more of it."

"Don't sentence the guy that confessed." Duncan starts to get up. Alex says "Why do I think he's in more danger on the street." Duncan grins "Because you learn quickly. It will serve you well." A cold shiver runs down Alex's spine. She gathers herself and says "You are under arrest. Perhaps it was self defense, perhaps not, that is not my decision to make."

"I'm leaving now. Shoot or don't shoot, that choice is yours. Tell Melinda or don't, that is also your decision but if you do so' you will start a chain events that will likely end in death." He gets up moves toward the door as he does so she realizes he had his sword propped against the arm of the chair out of sight the whole time as he drew it smoothly as if it were part of him. It disappears under his long coat. He pauses and looks back over his shoulder "An immortal could do a lot worse than have Melinda as a teacher. It wasn't her fault."

Duncan leaves the bedroom but before he leaves the apartment he calls back "You know, that thing works better if it's loaded." Alex opens the revolver and sees that it is fully loaded. As her door to the hall opens he says "Made you look. Maybe you aren't so smart after all." She can tell by the tone of his voice that he must be grinning. After the door closes, she moves quickly to put its chain on. She closes her eyes for a second thinking a silent thank you for not removing her panties before opening them with the amused thought of her bra landing on his head.

Alex didn't sleep that night at all. She stared at her bedside clock watching it slowly progress toward dawn. She feels a bit like she's just interviewed a vampire. Yet there is the very real legal dilemma to be resolved. And then there were the semi-non-sequitors that were turning in her gut. Then again there was the feeling that she'd just met a man who embodied the best part of history. The next morning, she did something that she never did; she called in sick.

That afternoon the phone rings and she hears her secretary whisper "Alex, get in here. Adam Schiff is waiting in your office" before hanging up.

Cragan calls Olivia into his office and motions for her to close the door. He hands her the transcript. "I was ordered to keep this from everybody but Ms. Cabot and the Doc, But I thought you should know." Olivia reads the paper and hands it back. "Is that all Captain?" Cragan is surprised, but nods. Olivia leaves without mentioning anything about what Melinda told her. Keeping secrets is not unfamiliar territory for Olivia, but is always unsettling and this time was the worst.


	9. Chapter 9

Alex arrives in her office to find her boss slumped at her desk still wearing his winter coat and fedora. Ever the grump he looks up and says "I see you've had a miraculous recovery." Alex hangs her coat on the stand "I've felt better… To what do I owe this honor?"

The District Attorney says "I thought you had a confession in that decapitation case. The press is having fun with "Seinfeld" references calling the killer 'The Lopper' and "The nenogginizer.' Why haven't you wrapped it up?" Seeing he isn't going to get up, Alex sits in her own side chair. "The suspect was coerced." Schiff nods "By the cops?" Alex shakes her head. "Is there a record of this coercion?" Alex responds "The threats were made by a guy claiming to be the confessor's attorney." Adam looks annoyed "The guy's own attorney' threatened his client into confessing? …Didn't even ask for a deal? What kind of defense attorney is that?" Alex winces "One who turned out not to be an attorney…but a guy that is Detective Benson's significant other." Adam grimaces and shakes his head in disbelief. "So she's shacking up with a guy that threatens her suspect into confessing?" Alex nods. "And it happens right in their interview room…" Alex nods again and Schiff looks at the ceiling after taking off his hat. Alex continues "And I don't think he did it." Adam Schiff looks at Alex carefully. "Why?" Alex shakes her head "I just do." She can't reveal more because she doesn't know if her own boss has been read into what she knows about immortals. Adam Schiff leaves with a rhetorical question. "What the hell is going on in SVU?"

Alex leaves her office and heads for the antique store on Hudson Street. She watches the store from the entrance to another shop down the street and on the opposite side as the sun slowly sets and lights in the apartments above the stores start to come on and the chill evening air seeps through her coat. She's not observing so much as pondering what she's learned and trying to make sense of it all.

Lost deep in thought, she suddenly realizes with a start that Duncan is standing next to her. "Looking for me?" Duncan says with a smile. Alex is frightened. "Why don't you just come in where it is warm?" Duncan walks on and Alex is drawn to follow him.

Olivia sits as Adam brings the food he's prepared for her to the table. Creating the meal has taken most of the day between skillfully selecting the ingredients and preparing them carefully to finally allow their flavors to mingle and mature. To his pleasure Olivia enjoys her first appetizer. It has taken some time to get her to slow down and experience the food and its subtleties. Olivia can concentrate on a case, but her diet has been largely hastily grabbed meals with coffee from a Styrofoam cup or cold leftovers with too much mediocre wine. It had taken patience to bring her around to slowly enjoy a meal.

After some compliments on how much she appreciates the food and flirting about having a man cook for her she says "Did you castrate that guy?" Adam pretends to be confused. "What guy?" Olivia has grown to accept that nothing comes quickly from Adam. "They translated what you said about ripping his…root and berries off." Adam nods, not as fazed as she thought he might be. "Actually it is a funny story and not what he believes, but his belief does have its uses." Olivia sits quietly waiting for the rest. "Are you sure you want to hear this now?" Olivia nods. "All right… He wanted to join us. Kronos thought it could be fun to make him prove his nerve. We told him he needed to pass a test…"

Adam inserts a corkscrew into the cork of a wine bottle. Olivia waits for the tale to resume. "We blindfolded him, tied him to a tree…" The corkscrew is fully inserted. "Caspien pulled his pants down and tied a rope on it. Silas tied the other end to the hoof of my horse which was grazing nearby." Adam begins to pull the cork. "We were eating beans and Kronos farted. He was so embarrassed that I burst out laughing. The horse bolted and…" Adam pulls the cork loose with a pop. "It went flying through the air, landed on the horse's rump with a wet plop which only made him run more. The wannabe was screaming. I'm laughing… Took two days to find my horse… " Adam, barely resisting the giggles, sees the look of disapproval on Olivia's face. "Well, I guess you had to be there…" Olivia slowly shakes her head. "Come on, I've heard your cop friends laughing about stuff at least that bad... "

Alex is led by Duncan into the heart of his quarters above the antique shop. Alex looks around the circular room dominated by a sunken circular couch at the center and is quickly drawn to objects around the room's perimeter. Duncan descends a couple of steps to the level of the perimeter floor and then a couple more and takes a seat on the couch watching Alex begin to explore what appears to be a museum. The first object she approaches is a medical bag with a red cross on it. "I was in the Red Cross…" Alex examines the bag and opens it, finding it contains some supplies but none of it is anything close to being current. Alex looks to Duncan. "… in France between 1917 and 1918. I saw a lot of bad things…and some good."

Near the bag is a picture of a man in Arab garb that is clearly not Arab. "In 1916 I was in the British Army as a driver and messenger attached to the Arab Bureau and under the command of T. E. Lawrence." Alex is startled "You knew Lawrence of Arabia?" Duncan nods.

Alex moves on around the room and is attracted to an American Indian sewing kit. Duncan says "That belonged to Little Deer. She was my Lakota wife until she and her son Kahani were killed in 1872."

Alex silently moves on to a few mementoes of the American Civil War. "I helped slaves get on the Underground Railroad in 1862. I was hung in 1863, but a Confederate Captain and fellow immortal dug me up. I was in Andersonville POW camp in 1864." Alex's head begins to spin.

"You're so casual about it." Alex says and Duncan shrugs. Moving forward, Alex picks up a scimitar. "Mid sixteen hundreds…" Alex stares. "I was captured by corsairs and sold as a slave to Hamza el Kahir in Algiers. He taught me a lot including how to use that. A few years later, I met Niccolo Machievelli in Venice…" Alex stands holding the scimitar in disbelief. "You should try that…it becomes you somehow." Duncan says in amusement. She returns it to the stand.

"When were you born?" Alex asks. "1592… I had my first death in 1622…which is when I became immortal." Alex gasps slightly "First death?" Duncan nods. "First?" Duncan says "There have been others…" Alex decides to let the matter rest. How much of this does Olivia already know she wonders? Melinda's warning about prying comes to her mind. Alex slowly realizes that Duncan is a very dangerous man, who has already admitted to one murder and nobody knows she's in his home.

Alex feels a need to escape, but does not want to offend her host who has been treating her well. Duncan opens a cabinet and retrieves two glass snifters and puts them down where Alex can sit on the sunken couch. She watches him retrieve a bottle and a small pitcher of water. He pours a small amount of Glenmorangie into each glass followed by a tiny amount of water, swirls the contents and hands a glass to Alex who takes it. She takes a deep sniff followed by a sip. "Glenmorangie. Good." She says with a smile to Duncan's surprise and amusement. Glass in hand, Alex returns to examining Duncan's collection. "The claymore?" Alex asks. "It is what I used at the Battle of Culloden…"

Eventually Alex completes her circumnavigation and sits on the couch near, but not to close to Duncan. Eventually, the whiskey and being awake for a day and a half take their toll and she drifts off to sleep. Duncan removes her high heels and glasses, lays her down on the couch, and covers her with a blanket. He exits turning off the main lights leaving just some illumination of the shelves. He leaves the door open.

Duncan joins Melinda in eating dinner. "Was that Alex?" Melinda asks. Duncan nods, being careful not to say too much. "I didn't see her leave." Duncan shakes his head. "She's asleep in the trophy room."

Alex sleeps so long that Melinda and Duncan leave her in piece and each of them turns in. In the early morning hours before dawn, Alex awakens with an urge to relieve her bladder. She takes a moment to recall where she is and puts on her glasses, seeing nobody around she starts searching silently in her stocking feet for a bathroom. The hallways are dark and she's worried about entering the wrong room. Suddenly from behind her she hears Melinda challenge her. "Alex?" Alex freezes and then turns around slowly. Even knowing what Melinda is and her level of concern about the recent murder of her student, she's shocked to see Melinda in her underwear in a fighting stance with a saber at the ready. Melinda lowers the sword when she sees that it is Alex. "What are you doing? That's a good way to get killed." Alex blushes "I have to pee…"

Olivia goes to the range to practice with her 9mm. She's annoyed by some male officers fawning over a blond woman who has come in with a forty-four which is clearly too large for her. After flirting with the male officers and receiving a lot of "instruction" from them. She says "Let's see how I do. After all, I'm only a girl. I might loose my nerve. I might even miss." Then she empties her weapon into an amazingly small grouping dead center on the head of the silhouette target. "But not this time." The male jaws drop and Olivia suppresses a grin realizing even she had underestimated the woman. The clip is swapped for a full one with an economy of motion and speed without haste and the performance is repeated.

Adam stops by the station house to drop off some lunch hoping that Olivia is there. He finds the detectives watching a video of a rally at Hudson University. They are watching a group of college women protesting the university's lack of campus security. Almost unnoticed Adam joins them.

As the camera pans Adam asks Munch to scroll back and then pause. Adam watches, nods and says "Thanks. I've got some sandwiches…and one chef's salad. By the way, where was that filmed?" Munch says "Hudson University." Adam nods and puts a sack of food on a desk and starts to leave.

Olivia and Munch look at each other and go after him. They take him into the observation room. "What did you see?" Olivia asks. "There was a woman who was doing the same thing that you're doing, watching those watching the protest to see if they were paying more than casual interest." Much shrugs "Campus security possibly." Adam shakes his head "I doubt they could hire her… She only takes causes she believes in… and this isn't her normal part of the world." Olivia is shocked. "Is she….?" Adam nods. "Remember when I told you there are people out there that frighten me?" Olivia nods slowly. "She would be one of them. John, your Rueben will get cold." Munch stares at Adam. "We have a microwave. I watched that video a dozen times and didn't notice her. Who is she?"

Adam shakes his head slowly. "She didn't want to be noticed. She's fought in more wars than I can recall. In World War 2 she fought a personal war of attrition against the Axis in the Balkans. She normally works as a bodyguard… You would consider her one of the good guys. She will obey your laws. But if she has to kill to protect her client, she'll do so efficiently without hesitation."

Olivia asks "What is her name?" Adam responds "Irrelevant. She'll be using an alias. To you, she's more of an ally than a problem. I don't know what she might think of me, and I really don't need to find out."

After Adam leaves, Munch and Olivia review the video again and zoom in. Olivia gasps a bit "I met her this morning at the range. She left a bunch of our guys feeling distinctly under gunned... both in skill and stopping power."


	10. Chapter 10

Olivia slips away early from work to meet Alex at a small bar. Olivia orders a red wine. She surprised when Alex orders Glenmorangie. When they don't have it, she settles for a draft beer. "Glenmorangie?" Olivia asks. Alex nods. "Single malt whiskey" Olivia responds "I know what it is… I also know it is Duncan Macleod's drink of choice. Munch has been pouting about not getting it with Duncan." Alex doesn't respond so Olivia continues. "You wanted to see me…so talk."

"Olivia the night before last, I found Duncan in my bedroom. I didn't see him at first sitting in the dark…. Olivia, he told me he killed that guy in the park. He also said it was self defense. My boss is pushing for charges to be filed…" Alex draws a deep breath and lets it out as Olivia waits for more information. "I spent last night at Duncan's home." Olivia is shocked. "I fell asleep on a couch in some sort of trophy room slash museum. I woke up during the night and went looking for a bathroom and almost got killed by Melinda. I feel like I've tumbled down the rabbit hole into 'Wonderland' where nothing is as it should be. You've been spending a lot of time with one of them… Can you help me get a handle on what is going on?"

"Alex, I think these people have always been among us. It's like theirs is a world within ours. Adam doesn't tell me much. He says stuff that is astounding like it is commonplace. He says he's the only one to have been on stage with both the Rolling Stones and Julius Cesar… But, there feels like there is far more that he doesn't say. It is like you were a kid and the adults never told you everything." Alex nods. "I walked around his trophy room and he told me some things that made my head swim." Olivia swallows some wine. "Exactly. But it sounds like he was more willing to talk than Adam."

"I'm still stuck with the problem of what to do with Duncan. With the gag order in place, I can't declare that it was self defense. I can't talk about the motives of these people. I don't even understand them. I can't tell anyone that he admitted to it without proof after I tossed my bra over his head. I can't…" Olivia coughs mid swallow. "You tossed your bra over his head?" Alex turns crimson. "I didn't see him in the dark as I was getting ready for bed." Olivia just stares. "He was sitting in the chair where I toss my dirty laundry…" Olivia nods. "Yeah, better to leave that part out."

"Olivia, the guy that confessed was behind it though. He told Melinda's student that he was a match for Duncan. I don't know why he would do that or why his blood was found at the scene." Olivia realizes Alex wants her to get the information from Adam. Alex takes a sip of beer. "I can see why Adam scolded Melinda about involving us." Alex nods. "One more thing… I think Duncan is going to kill the guy that Adam forced to confess. I think Adam wants him somewhere where that won't happen. Meanwhile, Melinda is living at Duncan's place and doesn't know Duncan killed her student. If she finds out…and doesn't accept the explanation…one or the other…most likely Melinda will die."

After a long pause, Alex says "What is it like being with one of them?" Olivia leisurely finishes her wine before answering. "I think it is like being with anyone else. They are very different from each other. I thought Adam was boring. He seems so…accepting…so patient. There was no anger about anything, no passion. It never occurred to me that it was because he's been through worse. Now, my fear is becoming that he's done worse. But, if he did, it was long ago…at least that's what I tell myself. And there is passion…it just moves at a different pace…one that takes a long time to get used to. But, Duncan may not be like that at all."

"There is something else you should know. There is another one in town, a woman. Adam says she's what we would consider a 'good guy' whatever that means, but he says he's afraid of her. She's apparently acting as a bodyguard for someone at Hudson. I actually met her. She intimidated a bunch of cops at the range. She's carrying a modified forty-four and she's very, very good with it. None of those guys are going to want to check her without a SWAT unit, and I'm not sure that would balance the scales after seeing Adam recover. The more I think about it that may have been her real purpose for being there. Stabler and I will go looking for her tomorrow." Alex's eyes grow wide. "Why?" Olivia responds "Just to let her know we know she's there…find out who she's working for." Alex nods. "Be careful." Olivia smiles "Of course."

That night as Olivia is receiving her massage she says "Alex met Duncan." Olivia is surprised by Adam's slightly startled reaction but he says nothing. "She said that Duncan said he killed Melinda's student in self defense after the other guy got him to go after Duncan." Adam doesn't answer but continues to work on Olivia's lower back. "If that is the case, why did we find his blood and Melinda's student's but nobody else's? " Rather than answer Adam playfully squeezes one of Olivia's butt cheeks.

"Why would he set up that fight?" Adam lies down next to Olivia so they are eye to eye. "When one of us takes another's head, we are largely incapacitated for a few minutes. He wanted to take Duncan while he was still in that state. But he found that Duncan was too good for him even then." Olivia digests this information. "You're trying to get him where Duncan can't get to him." Adam nods. "Why?" Adam sits back up and continues his massage. "Because every fight is a chance to get killed, it doesn't matter how good you are. There is always a chance. Duncan ignores that fact." Adam works his way patiently down the back of Olivia's thigh. "You aren't protecting him…you're protecting Duncan." Adam chuckles and begins to work on Olivia's gluteus maximus. "You're learning."

The next morning Munch briefs Olivia, Elliott, Cragan, and Alex on his search of old records. "I've been searching for references to decapitations that were not witnessed in New York back to when it was New Amsterdam. Except for the spike the Captain is familiar with in the 1980's, they are remarkably rare. We're not looking at something like the Mob or gangs defending turf. These are singular and rare events." The Captain thanks Munch and asks "Anybody have anything to add? … Olivia?" They all shake their heads.

As they leave, Olivia whispers to Alex. "Meet me at that bar tonight at six."

Stabler and Olivia go to Hudson University to search for the woman Adam noticed. They watch students moving between classes and going to the library without success. As they watch from a convenient bench they suddenly hear "Looking for me? It's Olivia, isn't it?" from behind them. Stabler turns quickly to see a blond woman as Olivia cringes at being surprised. "You must be her partner." She says as Elliott drops his jaw. "I've been meaning to stop by your station, but I haven't gotten around to it yet. I have a permit to carry. I'm going to reach very slowly into my pocket and show you." She retrieves her papers and hands them to Elliott.

Olivia explains "We wanted to talk to you to see who you are working for." The blond smiles "Why? Couldn't I just be taking a few classes?" Olivia shakes her head. "Like you would need to take a course on history. We know what you are." The woman pouts "What? Ouch. Am I not human?" Elliott hands the papers back. "They seem to be in order Ms. Albright." She takes the permit back and flirts "Call me Kyra." Olivia says "Ms. Albright, I'm thinking you're carrying a second weapon." Kyra smiles "You'd be right. There is an eighteenth cutlass under my coat." Stabler understands why Olivia is somewhat hostile, but he doesn't feel the same way. The woman continues "I'm not hunting. You have met others like me?" In her head, Olivia thinks 'Meddle not in the affairs of dragons for they are subtle and dangerous.' Olivia only nods to Kyra.

"You haven't said who you are protecting." Olivia observes. "I'm not protecting anyone in particular. I'm a guest adjunct professor teaching a course on ancient Sparta…pretty much the bottom of the academic food chain. I don't even get a parking space. But I keep an eye out for bad behavior. I'm a bit too old to be a student, but there are a few with teacher fantasies." Elliott nods "Well if you see anything illegal call us" and he hands her his card. She looks it over "Well… Elliott, why don't you write your cell number on the back?" Elliott just smiles and Kyra puts the card away.

"May I see your wrists?" Kyra asks. Puzzled Olivia and Elliott comply. "Just wondering" Kyra says with a giggle.

As they get back to the car, Olivia teases "You know she's probably a few hundred years old. It's like watching a pedophile stalking a victim." Elliott glares back "What does that make you? Adam is thousands of years old. He's a really old guy." Olivia shrugs it off "It makes me lucky."

After work, Elliott goes back to the campus and seeks out Kyra. Handing her a picture of his daughter he asks "How much would it cost me to have you protect her?" Kyra giggles looking at the photo "More than you can afford. Is she your daughter?" Elliott nods. "I'll keep an eye out for her…I'm not going to spy on her and report to you. Anything I do, is a favor for her." Elliott is relieved. "Her name is Kathleen. She's bipolar, but medicated." Kyra nods. "I've met her." Elliott says "I'm not going to ask. Thanks."

Elliott starts to leave Kyra says "Any questions not about your daughter?" Elliott turns back "Too many. But I've been told it isn't a good idea to ask them." Kyra says "All right. I was born four hundred and fifty years before Christ. I asked to see your wrists because I wanted to see if you were Watchers." Elliott is shocked and uneasy. "Watchers?" Kyra smiles. "You weren't going to ask any questions, but you got two answers…" Elliott decides to let it go.

The next morning Elliott goes to Olivia and confesses speaking with Kyra. "Olivia, she's not hundreds of years old like Duncan or Melinda, she's thousands… She was hundreds of years old before Christ. My head is still spinning." Olivia smiles and nods. "If I hadn't been with you…seen what we saw…I'd think this was all one of Munch's conspiracy theories. But she said the oddest thing. She said she wanted to see our wrists because she wanted to know if we're Watchers." Olivia's brow wrinkles in puzzlement. "What is a Watcher?" She asks. Elliott shrugs "That would be the next thing we need to figure out."

That night Elliott watches Duncan's antique shop from a car drinking a coffee. He's surprised when Alex knocks at the window. He unlocks the door and she gets in. "I'm not harassing them. It's a public street." Elliott explains. "I'm not saying you're doing anything wrong. Is anything going on?" Elliott shakes his head, relieved that she isn't telling him why he should not be doing this unofficial stakeout. Alex opens a paper bag with a thermos of coffee and a salad. "So this is a stakeout?" Alex says as Elliott watches amused by her intensity. "Yeah. Just relax. Sometimes it is hours and many times nothing happens at all. I don't recall anyone ever bringing a salad." Alex stops crunching on her salad. "Sorry. I didn't know there was an official menu." Elliott laughs. "There isn't. At least your crunching drowns out whatever is chewing under the backseat." Alex's eyes open wide "There is something in here with us?" Elliott nods "Mouse probably. I hope it doesn't get into the wiring. That's what happens when guys leave their food wrappers in the car." Alex sniffs the air. "What is that smell?" Elliot explains old food wrappers, coffee cups, cigarettes…and farts. Alex is disgusted. "Lots of street food has been eaten in these cars…makes for gas." This explanation doesn't help.

Unseen from the shadows Kyra watches them.

In a warmer, less smelly, and less rodent infested place Olivia asks Adam "What is a Watcher?" Adam explains "A person that watches a thing or event. At sporting events they are often referred to as fans." Olivia rolls her eyes. "Listen, I know you likely don't tell me the whole truth most of the time. But this is the first time that you've completely avoided a subject…at least as far as I know. What is a Watcher and what is distinctive about their wrists?"

Adam doesn't answer. Olivia just waits. Finally Olivia says "Normally, I figure I can wait out a subject, but I can't with you." With a slight grin Adam nods "No, you can't. The Watchers are an ancient organization of mortals who watch and record the activities of immortals. But they don't interfere. They don't interact with law enforcement. Their field people have tattoos on their wrists." Olivia digests this information. "So they would know what happened to Melinda's student." Adam nods "Probably. It isn't like they stay so close to their assigned subject that they see everything let alone hear everything."

Olivia has a sudden thought. "So they know about…us?" Adam smiles "Nope. They lost track of me hundreds of years ago. I joined them as a researcher." Adam gets a mischievous grin. "I was in charge of finding me and I made sure that would never happen. But even if I had a Watcher, they know that most interactions are with mortals who have no idea we exist. You would be…a footnote."

"What is 'hunting' in your world?" Olivia asks. "Exactly what you're thinking it is." Comes Adams answer. "Where did you hear that term? Where did you hear about the Watchers?" Olivia responds as casually as she can "Kyra." She receives a not too gentle swat on her behind. "Did you mention I'm here?" Olivia winces. "No…of course not…and neither did Elliott."

At around one o'clock in the morning the unofficial stakeout breaks up as the upstairs lights at the antique shop have been out for awhile. Stabler offers to drive Alex home but she says she'll take a nearby subway. Stabler is uncomfortable, but Alex insists. As Alex moves toward the subway station, Kyra follows at a considerable distance and sticking to the shadows.


	11. Chapter 11

Kathleen Stabler visits Kyra in her tiny office. "I'd like to take your course in the spring semester, but they tell me it's full. If you sign this form they will let me…" Kyra looks at the form. "I've already signed about ten of these. I'm afraid there isn't any more room." Disappointed, Kathleen starts to leave. "You're Kathleen Stabler aren't you?" Kathleen is shocked, but nods. Kyra hands the form back unsigned. "Why did you want to take a course on Sparta?" Kathleen responds "I heard you really made it come alive." Kyra smiles. "How did you know my name?" Kyra grins "First, it's on the form. Second, I met your father and he asked me to keep an eye on you." Kathleen shakes her head. "I'm sorry." Kyra leans back in her chair. "No reason to be. I told him I would, but I'm not going to spy." Kathleen lightens a bit. "Truth is, I told him I'd do it for free, that I've worked as a body guard and he couldn't afford me." Kathleen is shocked and gives a slight nervous giggle. It isn't often people dismiss her father like that.

"They are adding a second course to my curriculum. I'll be teaching a course on resistance to the NAZI's in the Balkans. It hasn't been made available yet." Kyra motions for the form and Kathleen hands it over. Kyra write a note on the back. "You're in if you want it."

"I was just about to leave for some practice. Do you want to come along?" Kyra asks. Kathleen is wary. "Practice?" Kyra nods. "Practice what?" Kyra smiles "Something that may help you develop more mental discipline…and make your father nuts."

Soon Kathleen finds herself in a cab with Kyra headed for a destination which is somewhat vague. "If you make such good money as a bodyguard, why do you work here?" Kyra shrugs. "I have my reasons."

When they arrive, Kathleen realizes that it is the shooting range many of the NYPD use, including her father and the other SVU detectives. Her stomach tightens.

Kyra gets a range assignment. As they walk in she hands a nervous Kathleen ear protection and takes one for herself. Kathleen watches in shock as Kyra withdraws a very large automatic handgun. "Is that one of those…Desert Eagle's?" Kyra shakes her head. "Forty-four…modified." With a grin she adds "The Eagle is for those to who are compensating for something." Kyra quickly takes aim and empties the magazine. When the target rides the track to the station for examination, the holes are close together. Kyra sends the target back. She removes the clip, checks that the weapon is clear, and takes a laser sight out of her coat and adds it to the gun. "Ever hold a gun?" Kathleen shakes her head. Before she can object Kyra puts her on the firing line and puts the gun in her hand turning on the laser. "What do I do?" Kathleen stammers starting to turn. Kyra stops her. "First, never point that thing at anything you don't want to kill." Kathleen's heart is racing and a few officers recover from their reactions. "I thought it wasn't loaded." Kathleen tries. "Always assume that it is. You can be right many times, but if you're wrong even once…" Kathleen nods. "Those guys nearly pissed in their pants when that little red dot started swinging in their direction. It could have put a round through several of them. It hits a lot harder than what your father probably carries."

Kyra puts Kathleen into a two handed shooting stance. Kathleen instinctively puts her finger on the trigger. Kyra cautions "Keep your finger on the side of the guard unless you are ready to fire. For right now, you are just going to keep that little red dot as still as possible." Kathleen nods and tries, but it is difficult. Kyra grins "Not as easy as you would think is it?" Kathleen nods. "It takes practice. Calm your mind." Kathleen tries some more.

"I don't think I can do it." Kathleen complains. She starts to turn, but keeps the gun facing her target. "I think you can." Kathleen says "Show me." They switch positions and Kyra holds the red dot nearly steady. "I was all over the target. You barely moved an inch." Kathleen says in astonishment. "It was tough. I rarely have to hold a target that long."

On their way back to the college, Kathleen asks "Have you ever shot anybody?" Kyra just nods and Kathleen knows enough not to ask.

Arriving at the squad the next morning Elliott is confronted by Finn. "I saw your daughter at the range. She gave a few guys heart attacks when she started to turn around. Seeing that little red dot crossing your target really gets your attention." Elliott is shocked. "My daughter…? Kathleen? She doesn't like guns…" Finn nods "That would be the one." Elliott is confused. "Was she with somebody? Tell me she isn't dating a cop." Finn shakes her head. "No. She was with that blond that has been showing up all the hot shots." Elliott nods.

Stabler gathers up Olivia. "First stop, Hudson. That crazy woman had Kathleen shooting at the range." Olivia follows him. "I don't think she's crazy. Their purposes may not make sense to us but…" Before she can continue Elliott says "If she's on her meds… IF… She's still a kid. You don't know my mother…" Olivia can't admit she knows more than she can say. "Just because she might be nearly bulletproof doesn't mean anyone else is. Did you see that cannon she carries?" Olivia nods. "I did actually. It was hard to forget. Except for hustling a few guys, she was very professional."

The detectives find their way to Kyra's tiny office. "You put a gun in my daughter's hands!" is Elliott's greeting. Kyra casually leans back in her swivel chair. "I did." Elliott fumes. "She's bi-polar!" Kyra nods and smiles "You let her drive let her drive a car…in New York. That means she's in control of essentially a large bullet traveling at lethal speed in tight formation with others only feet away from others some traveling in the opposite direction, all with drivers, some of them young, some impaired, and some distracted by electronic devices of all sorts, eating, drinking, doing their hair, emotionally compromised…" Elliott puts up his hand. Olivia suppresses a laugh. "I just wished you'd asked before arming my daughter. My mother once shot my father." Kyra nods. "The clip was out and I cleared it. She was just practicing holding the laser sight steady. The next time…" Stabler says "Next time?!" Kyra nods and continues. "The next time we go to a range it will be learning to fire a twenty-two single shot target rifle. She can develop a lot of mental discipline." Elliott starts to object. "She's over eighteen." Kyra cautions.

As they walk back to the car, Olivia says "She has a point Elliott." Elliott shakes his head.

Munch and Finn head out on a case. Finn complains "John, what is going on? You keep pining away after not getting a drink with some guy. Stabler is talking about Olivia's BF destroying a practice dummy. I keep seeing you and the others holed up like conspirators. A brother can start to feel left out." Munch squirms a bit in his seat. Finn continues "A guy gets decapitated in Central Park and they are making no progress." Munch doesn't answer and Finn gives him the cold shoulder.

That night, Alex joins Elliott for another stakeout. Elliott is still agitated about Kathleen and explains what occurred to Alex. "There's another one?" Alex asks. "Yeah. Adam says we would consider her one of the good guys…whatever that means…but he doesn't want to run into her." Alex process the information. "Makes you wonder about him…and Duncan." Elliott takes a sip of coffee and nods. "It makes me wonder about all of them." Alex nods "I wonder what it would be like…to be like them." Elliott takes another swallow of the now not so hot coffee before responding. "It feels like one of the westerns I used to watch as a kid…the ones with gunfighters who knew each other by reputation in their own world." Alex nods "And we'd be the town's people or settlers who didn't understand…?" Elliott says "Yeah" not happy about being in that role. "I always thought of myself as the sheriff or US marshal."

After a long silence, Stabler says "She said she isn't hunting." Alex is puzzled "Hunting?" Stabler nods "Looking for another one of their kind to kill."

When it is clear that Duncan and Melinda are in for the night, Alex heads home. Kyra again stalking her at a distance.

Olivia chats with Adam in bed. She explains that Kyra had taken Kathleen to the range and that Elliott was not happy about it. Adam says "She has a point. I wouldn't have, but she's more comfortable with guns than I am." Olivia rubs his chest. "You're not?" Adam explains "I'm a fair shot. Guns are sort of against our rules… I shot Duncan once." Olivia's brown eyes widen in surprise. "Yup, right between the shoulder blades. He went down like a rock…full on face plant." Olivia lifts herself up on her elbow "Why?" Adam shrugs "He was about to meet a guy that wanted his head but he wasn't in the right frame of mind. I killed him. I tried to talk the other guy out of the fight. But I ended up killing him too." Adam explains casually. "You killed two people?" Adam nods. "Not permanently." Olivia is relieved. She lies back down and throws her leg over him.

Kathleen calls home wanting to talk to her father, but ends up talking breathlessly to her mother. "It was a HUGE gun and I held it. She shot the hell out of her target. The other guys there weren't willing to bet against her. It was SO cool! And she signed me up for her new course which hasn't even been listed yet…"

After Kathleen hangs up, Kathy calls her husband demanding. "Elliott, Kathleen was shooting a gun with some strange woman who is a professor at Hudson. What do you know about this and why didn't we discuss it before?" Elliott winces. "I'm almost home. I'll talk to you when I get there." When Kathy isn't ready to let the matter drop, Elliott responds "I'm driving. It has recently been pointed out that talking on a cell phone and driving are more than just illegal, it's dangerous. Elliott notices red flashing lights behind him. "Kathy, I've got to go." He hangs up and pulls over. He breathes a sigh of relief as the patrol car rushes by apparently more interested in something else. Elliott mutters to himself "Well that's the first break I've had all day."


	12. Chapter 12

Later that day, Olivia meets up with Kyra alone at Hudson. "Are you deliberately making my partner crazy?" Kyra smiles and silently steers Olivia to a picnic table.

"Why would I do that?" she asks as she gets her lunch out of a paper bag.

"I don't know. I don't know why any of you people do any of the things that you do. Why are you even here? Don't you make a lot more money working as a body guard?"

Kyra smiles and takes a bite of sandwich making Olivia wait for her answer. "Sometimes I get paid a lot, sometimes I don't get paid at all. But I never take an assignment I don't believe in."

Olivia stares "What does that even mean?" Kyra gets out a can of soda and opens it as Olivia thinks. "You are presently working as a body guard…aren't you?" Kyra nods. Olivia thinks further. "You are working without pay for something you believe in."

Kyra nods again, swallowing before adding "Several things" Olivia waits for more although waiting is pointless with immortals. "You've had a chronic rape problem on this campus haven't you?" Kyra prompts.

Olivia says "The College would never bring in someone for that; they can control their own security people, but they can't control you." Kyra grins. "They didn't bring you in."

Kyra gets out a plastic bag "Want a cookie?" Olivia shakes her head. "So who?" Kyra smiles "An old friend." Kyra eats a cookie. "They are good…oatmeal raison." Olivia takes one to placate her and takes a nibble.

"When you say old, do you mean old by your standards or mine?" Olivia whispers. "Yours. A girl I met awhile ago asked me to come and keep an eye on her grand daughter."

Olivia's eyes open wide. "Elliott's mother?" Kyra nods. "She was a cute kid when I met her. We kept in touch…" Olivia is in shock. "Elliott's mother…Bernadette?" Kyra nods again amused. "She just accepted I didn't age. She never asked."

"How many of you are there?" Olivia asks. "Just me." Kyra answers coyly.

"You know what I meant." Olivia counters. "I don't know. Some never learn what they are. They live out their mortal lives and don't suffer a violent death which is what triggers the quickening. They may be the lucky ones. We are always alone. Always moving on… A friend is a precious thing…" Olivia nods. "So when Bernadette called…" Kyra smiles and nods. "I came. Don't tell her son."

A thought crosses Olivia's mind. "A while back, we prosecuted a woman who was twenty-eight years old but passing as a high school student and she did appear to be sixteen. She aged out of foster care and didn't know what else to do." Kyra waits for Olivia to continue. "Was she?" Kyra shrugs. "Perhaps, if so, I hope she finds a good teacher."

Olivia says "Her name was Cassandra." Kyra is shocked momentarily and then smiles at her own confusion. "What?" Olivia asks. "For a second I thought of a different Cassandra. But it wouldn't be her because she would appear to be about my age. She sometimes works as a model…sometimes she lives in a remote area where there has created the legend of a witch…sometimes she's hunting for another immortal known as Methos."

Olivia tries hard not to react. "Why him?" Olivia asks. Kyra is aware by Olivia's heartbeat and respiration that Olivia is nervous. "Olivia…we can sense other living beings. It is difficult to lie to us. You know him…" Olivia's level of anxiety skyrockets. "You know him and you care about him…" Kyra discerns. Olivia is torn. She starts to get up.

"Sit down. Relax. Have another cookie." Olivia sits numbly. "Don't you even want to know what she looks like? Don't you want to know why she wanted him dead for thousands of years? Do you have any idea who you're dealing with?"

Back at the station, Finn is looking through security camera footage from various buildings near where the murder occurred in the park. In several there are flashes and lights visible but the source is obscured behind trees. Yet in one, there is what appears to be a miniature electrical storm or a massive short circuit. "Hey Munch. Take a look at this." Munch watches as the tape plays. "That should explain the burn marks. But what caused it? We should check to see if the electrical system in the park failed." Munch shakes his head. "They already did. There were a number of lights blown out and a blown circuit breaker. But replace the bulbs and throw the breaker and 'Let there be light.' All was as good as new." Finn motions to the screen. "Then what the hell was the light show?" Munch shrugs.

Finn adds "I also found a homeless guy. He was into some dubious products supplied by an undocumented pharmacist, but he heard what he described as knights dueling." Munch nods. "He said there were three of them."

Later Munch knocks on Cragan's door jamb and, after being motioned in, goes inside and closes the door. "To what do I owe this pleasure John?" Munch silently sits down. "This can't be good." Cragan mutters. "Finn has gotten some security tapes which show the quickening. He's also found a witness, not a reliable one, but a witness. I don't like lying to him." Cragan nods. "Being on the inside isn't as much fun as your usual conspiracy commentary." Munch nods. "I'll try to get permission to read him in. By the way, Alex is getting more pressure to charge somebody." Munch nods grimly.

That night, as Olivia is relaxing under Adam's massage she says "You take such good care of me. But don't you have some…fantasy or something? If you do, we could…do it…?" Adam chuckles. "I'm five thousand years old. Do you think there is something I've been waiting until now to do?"

Olivia concedes. "No. But there might be something you'd like to do again." After a pause, Adam says "No." Olivia winces a bit as Adam works on some of her deep thigh muscles. She has learned that by the time he's done, she'll be so relaxed as to feel completely boneless. "There is isn't there?" Adam surprises her a bit. "People now are more prudish than they used to be…" Olivia is surprised by that and he explains. "Do you think anything new has been invented?" Olivia had to admit to herself that over thousands of years, there probably wasn't anything new, except possibly technology.

"I have become conservative myself. I can sense your heartbeat and breathing. It makes me feel good to feel you relax…. Of course…." Olivia asks "What?" Adam laughs. "Some times…I wonder how many cows I could get for you." Olivia stiffens "What?!" Adam continues the massage. "You're nicely shaped. Of course, you don't cook…. And you certainly aren't obedient… How fertile do you think you are?"

Olivia is shocked "Huh?!"

Adam says "You are getting tense."

"Damn right I am."

"Well relax… There aren't any reputable slave markets around here these days. But back in the Bronze Age, in the Great Desert, I bet I could have gotten about twenty cows and a few goats for you…maybe more…I'd have to fatten you up… Fat women were more desirable… Of course pale women were very exotic there…and then there are the shaved legs and pits…"

"You sold women?"

"Worse. But I'm not like that anymore. Besides, even if I could, I wouldn't sell you." Adam says casually as Olivia's eyes bore holes. "You are better looking than Helen of Troy…"

Olivia pulls back. "You are smart…?" Olivia shakes her head. "It isn't legal any more…?"

Olivia glares. "Watch it. There may be no happy ending for you tonight."

"I don't own you…?"

Olivia quietly says "Better, but when you are stuck in a hole…stop digging. I don't always know when you're kidding around. You are kidding…aren't you?"

Adam gets up and gets one of Olivia's catalogs. He looks through it and finds the photo he's looking for and points it out to Olivia. She looks at a photo of a woman about her age modeling a dress. Olivia is confused. "You wish I looked like that?"

Adam shakes his head "Her name was Cassandra. We pillaged her village. We killed most of them right away. I knew what she was, but being a pre-immortal, she didn't know her potential. I killed her, and when she recovered I convinced her I alone had the power to bring her back. I demanded complete obedience. You understand? But in time, she came to care about me."

"Stockholm Syndrome" Olivia observes; looking carefully at the photo and recalling what Kyra had said that morning.

Adam nods. "It was long before Stockholm existed, but yes. But our rule was that we shared plunder and Kronos wanted her. I wasn't ready to take him on, so I let him. She would have been shared with Caspian and Silas too before being killed permanently."

Olivia gasps.

Adam smiles "She smashed him in the head, knocked him out, and escaped. I saw her run away, I could have ridden her down and returned her, but I watched her go and silently wished her luck."

"I see she made it."

"She did. But for thousands of years she wanted me dead."

"Can you blame her? You not only raped her, you betrayed her."

Adam nods. "No. A while back, she was captured by Kronos as he was trying to reunite the Horsemen. He had a virus that he planned to release which would have exceeded the Black Death and plunged to world into a new dark age which we could rule. Kronos sent Caspien and Silas to kill Duncan, but he escaped after killing Caspian. Duncan attempted to rescue Cassandra. Kronos ordered Silas to take her head. Silas wasn't a bad guy, but he went to do as he was told. I considered Silas to be my brother in every way but blood and bath…but I killed him to protect her. Duncan killed Kronos. I was incapacitated after taking my friend's head. Cassandra stood over me with Silas' ax. Duncan asked her not to kill me."

"What happened?"

"Well, she killed me and then Duncan…" Adam teases.

"Really?" Olivia scolds.

Adam chuckles. "No."

"Is that why you wake up sometimes?"

Adam nods "One of a thousand reasons."

Olivia strokes his arm.

"When we take the head of another immortal, we take their quickening…and all of the quickenings that they have taken. We don't get all of their memories, it is more like…. You know when you can't quite remember where or when something happened, but you can picture the place, a smell, or a sound?"

Olivia nods. Adam says "It is like that."

"So Silas is still with you?"

"In a manner of speaking…." Adam resumes massaging Olivia's calves. Olivia ponders what she has been told. The implications are too horrible for words. She tries to imagine that she was put into a situation where she had to kill Elliott and then inherited impressions of his life from his point of view.

Adam says "Life is about change…" mostly to himself

"I used to think you were boring. I think about how I thought you were being picked on by my fellow officers in that bar. Now I wonder what you see in me." Olivia giggles. "I wonder what those guys would have thought if they knew that they were like cobras mistakenly teasing a mongoose or honey badger. They were like children trying to impress an adult with their experiences. I can understand why you put up with them though. But why did you put up with me?""

Adam chuckles. "You are interesting to me. I admire your conviction." Adam pauses and takes a deep breath. "You have changed me Olivia Benson."

In the middle of the night, Olivia's mind recalls Adam's passing mention of a virus that could cause devastation. She wakes up in a cold sweat. She sits up and looks at Adam who is sleeping soundly.


	13. Chapter 13

Olivia lays awake for a long time, but eventually falls back to sleep.

Olivia awakens to the feeling of her bare rump being very gently stroked by Adam's finger tips. As she rouses, Adam says "You're awake. It occurs to me that your best features occur in two's."

Because of his teasing the night before, Olivia leaps to a wrong conclusion. "Really! After all this time thinking you were not just after my body…" Olivia rolls over leaving the blanket down propping herself up on an elbow deliberately giving him a brief glimpse of her breasts before pulling the covers up and taking them away. Adam is surprised and says with a grin "I was thinking of your eyes. But those are nice too." She looks at him closely looking to see if he's being honest. Seeing no dishonesty, Olivia relaxes.

Olivia rolls back onto her stomach and Adam resumes caressing her backside. She realizes that she's approaching the point when she becomes nervous about the future and subtly begins to sabotage the relationship. She puts the thought out of her mind.

"Shouldn't you be getting ready to go to work?" Adam asks. Olivia responds sleepily "No, I'm off today." Adam gets up. "Good. Then I have a treat for you."

An hour later, Adam walks Olivia into a diner. "Why did we have to go to New Jersey?" Olivia asks. "Diner capitol of the world." Olivia shakes her head. "We have them in the city." Adam grins. "You have delis. They are good too. But, we're here for a Jersey breakfast." Adam takes a seat at the counter and Olivia sits next to him a bit skeptically. Almost immediately a waitress hands them menus and Adam watches as Olivia looks through a nearly endless list of options. "I don't see 'Jersey Breakfast' listed in this thing."

Adam catches the waitress' eye as she's refilling a truck driver's coffee. She raises her chin in acknowledgement. "Two Taylor Ham, egg, cheese, on a roll with coffee please." Adam says as he takes Olivia's menu. The waitress nods and Adam gives her both of the menus.

In a quiet voice Adam explains "If you're south of the Raritan River say 'pork roll.' Order it that way up here and you'll get the stink eye." Olivia hears a sizzle and sees some slices of meat being placed on the flat grill where the spatula makes several swift cuts so they will lie flat. Immediately there is the sound of eggs being poured one handed onto the grill sunny side up. It only takes a few minutes for the short order cook to put the meat, egg, and some sliced cheese onto buttered rolls onto plates turn around and place them on the counter. Olivia eyes it with concerns about the amount of calories and cholesterol mixed with eagerness.

Olivia eats and watches other customers who all seem to know the drill. The waitress seems to know everyone. Some customers are served nearly as soon as they sit because she saw them pull into the parking area and called them by their regular order as if it were their nickname to the cook. With a nod their order would be started.

"I'm surprised. I would have thought you would go for something more…I don't know… pate of peacock brains." Olivia observes. Adam grins as he puts his mug of coffee down. "It isn't a matter of seeking out the rare and pretentious. It is a matter of learning what is good. If this was Pompeii, we'd be putting garum on our food." Olivia looks confused and Adam explains "Fermented fish intestines and salt… with various additives." Olivia pales "First time I'm glad to be in Jersey rather than Italy." She mutters. "Catsup?" Adam asks lifting up the squeeze bottle from its spot by the mustard, salt, and pepper.

Olivia tries the catsup on the remaining part of her breakfast sandwich. "Life is about change. But there are some things that change slower than others, a few that may not change at all. All my life people have been adding things to flavor their food, but what they add changes."

On their way back to the city Olivia asks "Have people always done things to kids and the weak?" Adam nods. "That would be one of the things that don't change. I was once one of those who did." Olivia says "You told me that before. What I want to know is why you changed." Adam continues driving for awhile before answering. "I tired of it. I no longer craved making people afraid of me. It had lost its challenge. After I stopped, I heard a man speaking and later saw some of his followers executed by beasts in the Coliseum. I was impressed by their faith. That played a role as well."

As they wind down the helix from Weehawken into the Lincoln Tunnel, Olivia says "You met Jesus?" As they enter the tunnel, Adam explains "No. I heard him speak. That is hardly the same thing." Unwilling to let it go, Olivia alters her question to be more general "You were present at the Sermon on the Mount?"

As they drive through the tunnel, Adam casually responds "I don't know. I think there were a series of sermons which were written into the Gospel of Mathew as one. I didn't figure out who I'd heard until much later."

As they emerge into the light on the New York end of the tunnel, Olivia sits staring at Adam trying to wrap her mind around what she has just heard and its implications. One thing for sure is that she can barely wait to tell the deeply Catholic Stabler what her boyfriend had witnessed. "My partner is going to go crazy when I tell him." Adam shrugs. "If I'd known what I was listening to, I'd have paid more attention. They say history is decided by those that show up, but it takes more than just being there. I was more interested in trivial things like some of the women there and where I could get some food. Stabler is likely to be disappointed that I can't tell him much."

Adam changes the disk in the player and the soaring tones of Waylon Jennings' "Wild Ones" begin. At first Olivia is lost in her own thoughts, but by the third stanza she tunes in to the lyrics.

…  
"She was a lady  
When a lady wasn't easy to be  
Hangin' in limbo  
She started hangin' with me  
We were the music  
Cause we had a song we could sing  
We were the wild ones  
And we had the world on a string

"We were the wild ones  
The ones they couldn't control  
We were survivors  
Good hearts, body and soul  
We were the winners  
Cause we didn't know we could fail  
We were the wild ones  
And we had the world by the tail"

Olivia says "We don't have the world on a string and I know we can fail." Adam looks confused. Olivia continues "I wasn't hanging in limbo before I met you either." Adam nods – it is sometimes easier to just agree if you don't understand. He may be five thousand years old, but he's a guy, so in a discussion like this he's bringing a knife to a gun fight and he's now engaged in a game where he doesn't understand the rules.

As they ride on, Olivia breaks the silence. "Where do you go during the day?" Adam shrugs "Various places." Olivia pries "Show me."

He nods and takes her to a nondescript building in a rundown warehouse district. He unlocks the roll up door and pulls the car inside. He turns on the lights and closes the door. Olivia looks around warily. The air is cold, enough so that her breath is visible. There is a humming refrigerator in the corner of the large space with a sofa near it. Adam walks to the refrigerator and gets out two beers and tries to hand one to Olivia. She shakes her head. It is too cold for a cold beer.

"What is this place?" Olivia asks. "A place to practice." Adam says quietly. "Practice what?" Olivia asks. Adam puts both beers back unopened and responds "The skills I need to survive when I can't avoid a fight." Olivia looks around and notices exercise equipment and a heavy bag.

Olivia asks "How much do you normally tell the women you've been with?" Adam grins slightly. "Mortals? Nothing" Olivia gets a shiver. "Why me?" Adam explains "Because of Melinda." Olivia ponders. "So if her student wasn't…?" Adam nods confirming her conclusion that she would not have been told anything.

"You treat me very well. I guess I should be honored that you opened up as much as you have about what you are. But I feel that I don't know the real you. I don't mean the places you've been. I don't mean what you are. I mean what you feel…how you think."

Adam shrugs. "You don't tell me much about what you are doing every day."

"I can't discuss active cases."

Adam nods. Olivia frowns. "We're at the point where my relationships usually fall apart." It is the point where she must decide to really break her pattern or not. Everything before this has been prologue. It is time to take a leap of faith or be consigned to a long list of former women in his life and add him to her list of exes. After a long pause, Olivia says "I started going out with you because I wanted to break that pattern." After another long pause, she continues "You've had your hands all over me, but I guess I haven't opened up that much myself either. I'm afraid."

"Don't be."

"I can't control how I feel."

"You can control how you react to it. It is that simple."

"It isn't that easy."

"I said it was simple. I didn't say it was easy."

There is a long silence broken by Adam. "What is your first memory?"

Olivia thinks awhile. She recalls her memory. "I was little, only a couple of years old. I thought my mother was dead. But she'd just passed out from drinking vodka. I was scared…Yours?"

"I had just taken the head of an immortal. I don't recall having a family. I was already an adult. I don't recall my first death."

"Nothing seems to worry or frighten you."

"Seems is the operative word there. But I learned a long time ago what to do when faced by challenges."

"What?"

"Nothing."

"So when those guys in the bar were trying to intimidate you…"

Adam laughs. "They thought they were snakes teasing a mouse; but they were teasing a mongoose. Mind over matter… I didn't mind because they didn't matter. None of them were like me; none of them were going to threaten you."

"They wouldn't… Didn't you…demonstrate your skills to that class to get even with the instructor for trying to intimidate you?"

"No. That instructor didn't know what he was talking about. The officers taking the class needed a demonstration that might save their lives someday. So you've never had anyone you could count on before…outside of the SVU?"

Olivia shakes her head. Adam nods. "Now you do."

"How do I know I can trust you? You just told me that I would have known none of this unless Melinda called you about her student. How many times have you been married? How many other women like me? Who never actually knew you? Do you just suddenly leave them?"

"You're right. I've been married about seventy times and there have been more lovers than I can remember. But I am loyal to each while I'm with them and I don't leave unless they don't need me anymore, or I'm my presence is putting them in danger. Sometimes, I'm forced to leave because they begin to notice I'm not aging... But you already know…"

That night Alex and Elliott are staking out Duncan's place until they are sure he's in for the night. Alex begins to make her way to the subway alone after refusing a ride home. Unseen Kyra follows. Stabler calls Olivia and finding out she's still out, asks for her to discreetly check on Alex.

After driving the last part of Alex's route home from her subway station Olivia and Adam approach an alley which can be used as a shortcut to a locked "tenants only" service entrance to Alex's building. Olivia begins to relax knowing that Alex has likely arrived safely, but Adam is becoming more anxious.

"Slow down so I can get a look down this alley as we go by." To her surprise, he speeds up and turns into it. At the far end she sees Alex being accosted by a guy about twenty years old next to a van and he's trying to wrestle her into it. Adam punches the throttle. Olivia sees a blond woman step from the shadows near some dumpsters and withdraw a large automatic. Olivia recognizes her as Kyra. She unhooks her seatbelt as Adam stops the car.

Olivia pulls out her cell phone to call for help. Adam grabs it from her. He hisses "This isn't for outsiders." Olivia tries to grab her phone back, but Adam throws it into the backseat. His eyes are hard and intense. She withdraws her weapon and gets out. Adam doesn't stop her. He draws his sword and follows.

Kyra glances back at them, but quickly returns her focus to the gang member using Alex as a shield waving a gun in her direction. Olivia gets side by side with Kyra. She sees that the guy is nearly entirely behind her. Olivia identifies herself and commands him to drop his weapon and release Alex.

He responds "She sent by brother to prison. She's gonna pay. Drop yours."

Weapon at the ready, Olivia moves to the side so that the guy has to contend with two different lines of attack.

To her horror, Olivia hears Kyra cock her forty-four and glances over to see her put her finger on the trigger. Kyra calmly says "I have a shot."

Olivia yells "No! Even you aren't that good."

"I know something you don't know." Kyra whispers.

Alex sees that Kyra is getting ready to shoot and the gun is pointed directly at her. She struggles frantically. "No! NO!" Her face shows pure panic.

Adam puts an arm around Olivia's waist from behind and pulls her back and then he pushes her to the side of the alley behind a dumpster leaning into her hard. He pushes her against the wall hard as she struggles. He growls into her ear "Remember, the boundaries of reality aren't where you thought they were." Olivia's mind whirls trying to understand.

He yells "Kyra! Are you sure?" There is no answer; only a single gunshot reverberates down the ally..

Adam releases Olivia. She runs out to see Kyra lowering her weapon and both the kid and Alex on the ground. Olivia checks Alex and quickly sees that Alex has been hit in the center of her chest, she makes a few gulping sounds, frothy blood coming from her mouth and looses consciousness. Olivia feels the large exit wound in Alex's back. The kid is even more of a mess as he was hit with a round which has already mushroomed and was tumbling upon entry. He's gone.

Olivia points her gun at Kyra. "I told you. You are under arrest. Drop it." Kyra smiles. "I guarantee you, I'll win."

From behind her she hears Adam "And I guarantee you'll lose the next." The voice is calm but ice cold and full of threat. Olivia looks back to see Adam with his sword leveled. Kyra lowers her gun.

Olivia gets out her cuffs.

"What you just saw isn't what you think. Put those away. We have work to do."

Kyra grabs Alex by the back of her coat and starts dragging her to the rear of the car. Adam pops the truck and Kyra heaves Alex's limp body in. Olivia is stunned. Even more shocking, Kyra gets in the backseat. Adam gets behind the wheel.

Olivia stands rooted to the spot. "Well, get in. Or do you want to get left here with a body?" Adam commands and numbly Olivia complies.

Adam backs out of the ally as quickly as he pulled in. The whole thing took only a little over a minute. There is nothing left behind except for the gang banger's body and van, with a mangled bullet in his chest, and a blood trail to where Alex had been thrown into the trunk.

Once on the street, Adam drives normally. Olivia stares at him. Kyra rides casually looking out at the store fronts and restaurants.

Raising his voice a bit, Adam says to Kyra "That isn't what I had in mind when I hired you." Kyra shrugs. "No extra charge. Drop me at the corner."

As Kyra gets out, she reaches forward and puts her hand on Olivia's shoulder and gives a light squeeze. "Breath Olivia. Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger."

Olivia begins to put it all together as Kyra exits.

"She killed him in defense of another, but…" Olivia says and Adam nods. "But she shot Alex deliberately." Adam nods again. "At first, when you asked if she was sure, I thought you meant shooting him without hitting her or the gun out of his hand. But you meant shooting through her, didn't you?" Adam nods and drives in silence.

They drive another block in silence. "So Alex is…?" Adam shakes his head. "She's not like you?" Olivia asks in panic that she's wrong. She recalls the look of abject terror on Alex's face. "So she's dead?" Adam nods. "Kyra murdered her!" Adam cocks his head quizically.

"Oh God. Alex." Olivia says to herself.

"Alex wasn't like me, or Kyra, or Duncan, or Melinda." Olivia's heart sinks as her head pitches forward. "Alex was what we call a pre-immortal." Olivia's head pops up. "She didn't know what she was." For a moment Olivia forgets about what is back in the ally.

"What happens now?" Olivia asks. "We take her to a safe place. She will need your support. I know you have been working with other officers who know about us. For her sake don't tell them what happened." Olivia nods.

"You hired Kyra to protect Alex?"

"I did. Not from guys like that…from other immortals. In the end there can only be one. She was defenseless. Melinda asked me to keep an eye on her until she could do it herself could again."

"Kyra is also protecting Elliott's daughter. Is she?" Adam shrugs.

"Kyra knows who you are." Olivia admits and Adam nods.

"What do you think?" Olivia asks. "Kyra?" Adam asks and Olivia nods "Some immortals have underestimated her. I don't." Adam replies.


	14. Chapter 14

Adam hits play and "Smuggler's Blues" by Glenn Frey starts with Adam singing along subtly changing the words.

"There's trouble on the streets tonight  
I can feel it in my bones  
I had a premonition  
That she should not go alone

I knew the gun was loaded  
But I didn't think she'd kill  
Everything exploded  
And the blood began to spill

….."

Olivia turns it off. "I can't believe I thought you were boring. Now we're driving with my friend's body in the trunk, I've left the scene of a shooting without even reporting it, and I'm trusting you that Alex will spring back to life."

Adam nods.

"When you asked Kyra if she was sure…you disagreed with what she was doing…you wanted her to change her mind."

Adam nods.

"Why?"

"From what I know of Alex through Melinda, I knew it would be a hard thing for Alex. It is a hard life for any of us…and it isn't getting any easier. It used to be if you traveled a hundred miles and made up a new name… It used to be easy to carry… For Alex, she is used to working within a legal framework. She's going to need her friends in new ways, but the number that she can go to you can count on one hand... I would not have done what Kyra did. I would not have let that guy leave with her alive…beyond that…"

"You act casual about a lot of things… It's just an act…"

Adam nods.

"I will never understand you…will I?"

Adam shrugs. "When we get to Duncan's shop, we'll have to get her out of the trunk and 'walk' her in so nobody notices…sort of like that movie."

"Weekend at Bernie's?" Olivia asks and Adam smiles with a nod.

As they get close to the shop, Adam says "You may not be one of us, but you have an old soul. It may be that you won't ever understand me. But that may speak better of you than if you did." After a long pause he adds "I may never understand you either. I don't remember being mortal."

"Alex has a lot of friends."

"Olivia, she has you, Elliott, the Captain, that Munch guy, and the doctor."

"She also has you, Duncan, Melinda…I suppose Kyra…"

Adam shakes his head. "We can be friendly with each other, but underneath is the knowledge that we may one day need to fight to the death. We can be friendly with mortals, but we also need to keep what we are hidden. We have to move on every ten to twenty years to hide that we don't age."

"After we get her inside, you and Melinda will clean her up, then we'll take shifts to watch over her. It will take a while…if she truly just had her first death…"

"Wait, wait, wait. You said she's like you."

"She is. The question is whether or not this was the first. Some immortals try to hide their level of experience…to surprise those they plan to attack. I'll take the first shift."

"Why?"

"If she recovers that soon…I'll decide."

"Decide what?"

"Whether or not to take her head." Adam says grimly. Olivia gasps. "It is unlikely. But it is something to be guarded against and even Duncan has been taken in by similar situations."

It seems unreal, but soon they 'walk' Alex in with Melinda and Duncan's help. Adam and Duncan support the body from her elbows keeping them tight to her sides while walking beside her bumping Alex's feet on the pavement as Melinda and Olivia walk in front and back. As casual look would see a group of people walking into the shop.

Soon they have her in a tub. Melinda does most of the work of cutting Alex's bloody clothes off and preserving those that aren't too bad. Olivia bags the damaged clothing. A section of bone falls out of the blouse. Olivia's jaw drops and she points at it. Melinda glances over and says "Vertebra. Stick it back in. She'll recover faster if she doesn't have to grow a new one." Melinda pulls off Alexa's shoes. "Go ahead…she can't feel it." But seeing the whites of Olivia's eyes all the way around, she takes the bone places on top of the exit wound and drives it back in with a smack of her fist.

Melinda rinses the body clean as Olivia watches. They get Alex bandaged to control the blood still seeping from the wounds and get her into a heavy bathrobe. Duncan carries her to a bed. Adam stays with her.

Melinda takes Olivia to the trophy room which Olivia recognizes from Alexa's description. Olivia asks "Is this Alexa's first time?" Melinda smiles. "Adam told you of his concerns... Yes, it is her first. The sensation we get when we meet one another feels like a sudden dread...even terror. There are certain involuntary physiological reactions that we can't help having. We don't get that sensation until after our first death and Alexa never reacted."

Olivia walks nervously about the circular room as Melinda sits and watches. "I left the scene. There is a body back in that alley. I'm a cop. You are a are a Medical Examiner. There is a body, drag marks…with a second blood type…brass…tire tracks, hand prints…lord knows what else."

Melinda nods. "First time on this side of the fence huh?" Olivia nods. "Like this. I've certainly bent my share of rules but…"

"Well, you've never 'lost' a 'body' that walked out of the morgue. I've covered up evidence in several decapitations turning my term. But I've never strayed from my duty where mortals are involved."

"Adam told me what happened to you… Your first death… He told me he went back and killed the guy…perhaps. Did he? He said he'd tell me the truth if I could tell him if I'd want him to do that for me."

Melinda shrugs. "I don't know. He says one thing but does another… He says not to take risks for others, but then he does… He's pragmatic as hell…in theory. I know what he would say, but what he would do…" Melinda shakes her head.

"What would he say?"

"He would say that there is no margin in revenge." Then Melinda's face hardens as she adds "But if someone threatened you…they should make sure their will is up to date. Threatening you…it is a death sentence."

Olivia's stomach tightens.

Melinda changes the subject "I'll take the second shift; it will take longer than that... Alex should recover with you. You know what to do with victims. Her life has been turned upside down and it is not at all something she would have expected. At least she knows something about us, but that may only make it worse."

"What will she feel?"

"The first time?" Melinda asks and Olivia nods. "The first time is the worst. To her, no time has past by. She will recall looking down the barrel of Kyra's gun, the sound of the shot, the impact and pain of the impact, the numbness of her lower body from her severed spine as she fell, the loss of consciousness as her blood pressure dropped to zero… She will have felt herself die…by her reckoning, seconds ago…"

Olivia's jaw drops as she processes this information.

Melinda continues "She'll be reborn into a world where she may have to fight for her life…to kill. You were trained. She wasn't… But she will be." Melinda wipes away a tear. "She will be." She repeats to herself with grim determination.

Olivia wanders about the room and then says "I should call Elliott." Melinda's head snaps to Olivia. "No." She cautions.

"He should be here." Olivia says as she reaches for her phone. "No."

"Oh no." Olivia says. "Right" Melinda agrees.

"No. Oh no." Olivia stammers. "Right" Melinda repeats.

"No my phone is in the back seat. I've got to go get it."

Melinda grimaces. "What?" Olivia asks.

"Duncan took the car to dump it when we were cleaning Alex."


End file.
